5:9 and 5:10 To do or to die:Dempsey and Makepeace
by haveunotthought
Summary: The criminal fraternity have never grasped the idea of mon - fri, 9-5 but a wedding needs both a bride and a groom
1. Trials

**Ok this is a short opening chapter, but I thought if I put it up here you might badger me to continue. Your reviews will be much appreciated.**

She flopped down next to him on the sofa with a huge sigh "It's so much fussing around".

"Tell me about it" he concurred as he pulled her into his hold whilst continuing to watch the cars hurtle across the TV and Eddie Jordan make another outrageous claim.

"I'm not so sure you should be watching that" she gently admonished sitting back in a more upright position

"I can't breathe out there princess" he admitted as he squeezed her shoulder

"So how do you think I feel?" the emphasised I didn't go un-noticed

"You're the bride - it's all about you"

"Not just me" she protested

He snorted "99%"

"Rubbish a wedding is about two people..." she waggled her engagement finger in front of his eyes

"All this dressing up malarky is one for the women, no two ways about it" Dempsey insisted but nevertheless clicked the remote and silenced the roar of formula one qualifying. He too sat up and looked at the big fluffy dressing gown and the pretty face peeping out of the top. He touched her nose with a gentle flick "you all ready under that lot?" he checked, she nodded

Dempsey stood her infront of him and slowly grazed her hair, face and the string of pearls gracing her neck. He ran the necklace through his fingers and very quietly and gently asked "'they your moms?"

Her fingers ran along the string until they met his, she nodded and he smiled in appreciation "something borrowed" she added as an after thought

"I think they're yours now" he whispered

"Don't say that" she protested "I've not got anything else borrowed"

"What about blue?" he asked with a mischievous wink

"Just the traditional garter" she began and then defiantly added "and I am most certainly not showing it to you"

Dempsey laughed "Cummon I need to be searching out something to wear"

"Something! I thought your suit was all sorted"

"Relax" he laughed "Everyone will be looking at the bride"

Outside the sun shone in true blazing June style and house guests were milling around on the lawns bordered by the formal garden. Tables with huge sunshades, scattered chairs and staff with trays of bucks fizz and canapés completed the scene.

The wedding itself would take place infront of the old folly and a small army of village lads were just finishing the regimented rows of chairs encased in their white wraps but without the huge bows so hated by the bride. A small generator hummed and two banks of speakers erupted into life drowning any other noise as the lanky technicians checked the sound levels. The sound of music brought a smile to the aunts, great aunts, cousins and second cousins alike as they soaked up the atmosphere of the pre wedding hours.

The huge marquee had been up for several days and was to be used for the wedding breakfast; now the local WI were at full throttle with the white freesias, lisianthus, cymbidium orchids and nerines for table decorations and a second crew were napkin folding and distributing the pure white sugar almond wedding favours.

Patricia McDiarmid had expected something rather more up-market for a Winfield wedding but as she placed the white voile bags at each setting she had to concede that the luxury of the flowers combined so well with the simplicity of the traditional gifts.

The oversized arch and three oversized pedestals made with the wild looking Sparrieshoop white rose gave an informality to the proceedings that never could be achieved had the hybrid tea selection that had been the first suggestion been used.

Dempsey had kept well away from everything, deciding that the small guest suite on the third floor was only just remote enough. He'd ensconced himself away 3 days ago and only yesterday had been unsure if he liked or felt secretly hurt that no one had appeared to miss him.

Alan had faithfully delivered his New York Times and Beth had kept him well supplied with food. In fairness he hadn't been house bound, choosing to use the servant staircase he had made several forays into the outside world; the one to the local pub had been a mistake – every villager seemed to know more about the wedding than he did but a fishing trip to Whitstable had provided some very welcome 'man space' and although he had only landed a couple of small cod and three mackerel he'd endeared himself to Beth with two huge lobsters landed earlier that morning by Barnacles Barnie. 'Fishing' he thought – now what was it Spikings had said about fishing?

Now he was forced back downstairs to his own room where the top hat and tails had been carefully hung for three weeks. The long hot shower pounded his skin and he sung an old Neil Young song at the top of his voice with no one there to complain or pass comment on his talent. Two hours to the service, then all the fuss of the photos – a nightmare he wasn't really looking forward to. The speech he had spent weeks mulling over would be the last big hurdle of the day, the partying after and the ensuing activities were what he was really looking forward to.


	2. Tribulations

**So sorry it's taken so long to update; I never would have posted the first chapter if I'd known how long I would take to write ch 2. Life just has much less writing time than it used to. Anyway with some homage to Krayto this story is likely to have several chapters reflecting back. **_**Written in italic the reflection here goes back to around the early autumn of '85**_

The bedroom window looked out over the hexagonal enclosed garden and James watched the scene with fascination. He watched his sister fussing around some of the other guests and calling the poor waitresses here and there without allowing anytime for them to reach their first destination before telling them Mrs Loxington-Smythe needed to try one of little salmon things. The girls smiled at everyone and miraculously managed to follow all the instructions.

Both the technical men and grounds men were busy but had none of the air of fuss or panic around them as they ran across the lawn; unwound another cable or instructed the boys to leave a wider gap between the rows.

The sudden long drone offended Dempsey's ears. The whine of the bag pipes sent a shudder down his spine, how he hated their noise. He tried hard to think but he had zero recall of any discussion about things Scottish; he most certainly would have vetoed bagpipes. The caterwauling of tomcats fighting in the small hours or the drone of a badly tuned car engine were both more pleasurable to his ears but still he smiled, not because everyone had obviously succeeded in pulling one over his eyes, not because now the day was here he knew he would just put up with it but because of the images and memories that had just flooded into his mind

* * *

><p><em>A very frustrated and irritable Harry Makepeace had tried to give him a history lesson on the Kings and Queens of England and Scotland but a belligerent Dempsey had refused even to try once he discovered there were two time lines to learn. He had however passed several comments about the Scots having better names for their monarchy. "Say the Scots had won the battle then your Edwards and Henrys would be Malc and Don" Dempsey postulated as the pair returned into the SI10 office<em>

_Harry carefully placed her bag down under her desk "It really wouldn't bother me Dempsey" _

_Dempsey plonked himself onto the swivel chair and spun "Sure it would I ain't ever met a Don at Stringfellows"_

_She pulled her own chair back "And you're unlikely to meet a Eochaid either" sarcasm started to seep through Harry's voice_

_Dempsey leaned forward across what was really a desk for one "But King Jim" now you're talking_

_Harry leaned in taunting Dempsey "James" she corrected _

_"Only my mother calls me that" he paused and grinned slyly "and you- when you ain't mad at me"_

_"Dempsey it is then" she retorted without skipping a beat and pulling back away from him_

_"You're unbreakable Sergeant" he swung away "no wonder the Scots gave in"_

* * *

><p>Dempsey craned his neck but he couldn't see a piper, perhaps it was just part of the sound check<p>

* * *

><p><em>Special branch had initially interpreted the intercepted message as pertaining to the crown jewels ensconced away in the Tower but the moment Makepeace had read everything over she had noted the Scottish connections. Mercifully they had taken the night train from Waterloo. At 00.10am Harry confidently threw her bag onto the bottom bunk as Dempsey looked on smirking<em>

_"Me on top of you - one of my dreams come true sergeant"_

_"Dream on Lieutenant" she beamed beatifically _

_"Oh I do" his eyes lit up" me on top of you then you on top of me and then a little..."_

_Harry cut in "I think you'll find there's a spare cabin next door" she watched Dempseys smile drop "I paid him, she nodded towards the porter, to make sure. _

_Dempseys grin returned, broader than before and as he slung his case on the top bunk he added "I paid him more " he leaned in close to Harry and whispered in her ear "every other berth is taken - now I don't mind swapping I love a woman on top"_

_"I bet you do" Harry snorted and lay on the bottom bunk fully clothed _

_"You don't mind if I do..." Dempsey was un buckling his belt and loosening his fly_

_"Seems I have no option" Harry feigned disinterest whilst her gaze grazed the view level with her eyes_

_As Dempsey bent down to pick his trousers off the floor his surreptitious glance caught her out "offer's open anytime" he teased and jumped up onto the bunk. _

_Harry rolled her eyes and then closed them ignoring as best she could the creaking above her as Dempsey tried to settle. _

* * *

><p>Dempsey smiled and unconsciously rubbed his ring finger with his thumb as he drew more memories from the depths of his recall.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Breakfast had been a non salubrious event held in a local police station amidst cleaning staff, dirty crockery and over full ashtrays. Nevertheless it had provided him with his first taste of Haggis, along with the black pudding, egg and sausage; Harry had sipped at her stewed tea with distain. This was followed by a brief drive to the castle especially deemed necessary to the Chief Inspector of Police <em>_Alasdair Ferguson__ as the American seemed unable to grasp the concept of roads within a castle wall. _

_"We aren't certain that there is a real threat" Harry was explaining "it's just that some of the information we have doesn't quite add up to the Tower of London."_

_"But you can't give us all the details" the Chief Inspector was rankled by the with held information _

_"What with our boss saying its top secret 'n all" Dempsey made matters worse each time he opened his mouth and the bruises on his leg were growing. _

_"Some of our information makes it appear that there is some inside help" Harry smoothed and Dempsey shot her yet another look of withering distain. _

_Their tour of the inner courtyard of the castle had left the pair non plussed; none of the key clues were falling into place. Just as they were leaving Dempsey spotted racks of chairs, tables and boxes being unloaded from two white vans. _

_"You havin' a party or somethin'?" he asked waving his hand towards the vans. _

"_It's the annual Society of Solicitor Advocates Dinner" _

_"Geez and you didn't think to mention it?"_

_The inspector looked a smidgeon embarrassed as Dempsey continued "'you know who these guys are? Have they been cleared? And who the hell are they working for - unmarked vans 'n all"_

_"Perhaps we should be present" Makepeace suggested in her usual calm manner that belied any frustration "could you see that we get tickets" it wasn't a request and the Chief Inspector bit his tongue on the difficulty that posed simply saying "It's full dinner dress"_

_"No problem" was Harry's quick reply _

_"We need the full breakdown of all the people workin' and all the people comin'" Dempsey demanded_

_"Aye - that'll include the pair of ye then" _

_"Damn right it will" Dempsey jumped in. "I'll check her and she'll check me- full frisk 'n all"_

_"I dinnae like your attitude" As he got angrier __Alasdair Ferguson slipped more into his native tongue_

_Once again the Makepeace platitudes smoothed the way "I'm sure your officers will already have the information, we would just like to take a look if you don't mind"_

_"Tell me lass why'd ye bring the big gorilla with you?" the officer asked_

_"Believe it or not he's very useful some times"_

_"Well I'll wait to be impressed then"_

_Makepeace tugged at Dempsey "We'll just take a look around the set up for tonight and then make our way back to your station for those reports" _

_Chief Inspector __Ferguson __let them go and set about his own tasks_

* * *

><p>There he was – the bloody piper walked into view and seemed to stand below Dempsey's bedroom window taunting him. Dempsey stared at the kilted apparition, in all his years he had never understood a mans desire to dress like that. The view stoked the pensieve and as Dempsey was rather enjoying the memories he dipped back into them.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"So we gonna sort some clothes for tonight?" Dempsey asked as they finally left the castle grounds "or have you packed a sexy number in that overnight bag of yours?"<em>

_Harry grinned, Dempsey noticed that it had a mischievous air "what?" he asked_

_"What indeed" the tease rang out_

_"Oh no I ain't shoppin' for dresses with you"_

_"No need" she reassured him with an air of bedevilment and now Dempsey was worried "We'll get you kilted out and then you can read those lists of gusts and staff whilst I pop into one or two shops."_

_Missing the subtlety of kilted Dempsey heard kitted, still suspicious of the catch however he consented and merely ten minutes later after Harry had whispered some instructions into the proprietor's ear she could hear Dempsey's loud protestations _

_The checked pants as an alternative to the skirt did not impress Dempsey who so far had only accepted the white shirt. He created more fuss about the ridiculous jacket and the over elaborate buttons - didn't they have anything else that was a proper shape and a decent length? _

_Tucking his own shirt into his own trousers Dempsey reappeared out into the main shop announcing to Harry that" they would have to go and find a proper place". _

_Harry grinned in delight at his discomfort and with one of those 'butter wouldn't melt in her mouth' looks smiled sweetly as she informed him 'that this was the proper place and he would have to wear the proper clothes or he wouldn't be allowed in'_

_Dempsey drew her to one side "I ain't wearing that"_

_"No problem" she locked eyes "- I'll go alone"_

_"I can be one of the waiters" Dempsey suggested_

_"There are two reasons you can't do that Lieutenant"_

_"Only two?" like red rag to a bull Dempsey was rising to the challenge_

_"Oh I'm sure there are more" Makepeace placed her hands on her hips "but apart from the fact that you cannot wait you'd still have to wear a kilt"_

_"Makepeace" Dempsey looked across at the assistant to check he was out of earshot "it's a skirt"_

_"Try telling that to a real Scotsman" she suggested happily nodding towards two kilted beefy looking men who had just made a timely entrance. _

_Dempsey eyed them up and down but the main reason he returned to the changing room was that there was no way he was letting Makepeace follow the case alone. _

_"I'll take one of those green / grey ones" he stropped _

* * *

><p>It had been the one and only time he'd worn a kilt; fancy dress – even superman with his pants on the outside was preferable to disaster of the highland fling.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Makepeace had spent half the afternoon shopping and the other in her hotel room at "The Balmoral" luxuriating in a bath. She had no conscious about Dempsey - he owed her a months worth of desk work ; she had merely left a message to say she was in contact with Spikings and would meet Dempsey at the castle, leaving him to make his own arrangements. <em>

_Dempsey had spent all afternoon reading lists and asking questions. It had been like living in a different world. Whilst the Chief Inspector had spoken in English the boys on the floor were, he suspected, taking the piss._

_He asked several of the bobbies about names with a familiar ring but they always seemed to shrug their shoulders. As he drew to the end of the list he threw the list down "So tell me about Ken" he suggested lunging back in his chair "I'm all ears"_

"_Ken?" checked Roy scanning the room _

"_A dinna ken" Dempsey parroted back the reply he'd been given over half a dozen times_

"_Ah Dinnae fash yersel" Grant laughed_

"_Ya Bas" rang across the room and Dempsey swung round and the office collapsed at Dempsey's expense._

"_He's scunnered" Grant was still laughing until his collar was choking him and his head was pushed back into the wall. _

"_This is international for don't mess with me" Dempsey warned_

"_Ok Ok let's calm it" Roy stood and Dempsey dropped back before picking up the two lists and walking out. As he left the office Roy asked "have you any message for your partner?"_

"_Yeh" Dempsey paused "Tell her I'm workin' the case"_

"_Ye'll get yir heid in yir hauns an yir lugs ti pley wi." The voice came from the left and Dempsey raised two fingers as he left._


	3. Traditions

Dempsey heard the door behind him inch open "Ok if I come him?"

"Sure" Dempsey called back over his shoulder; he listened to the footsteps approaching and as she joined him at the window Dempsey nodded down to the performance below "How did you sneak this past me?"

* * *

><p><em>The brash American fitted in well, his money had got him a seat at the dinner and despite themselves the men around Dempsey were intrigued by American life; they found common ground in not understanding the English. Harry simply played herself; she was intrigued by the scandal between the Campbells and Sutherland and the stories of the Buchanan boy supposedly involved with one of the royals.<em>

_It was at 10.45pm that she was called to the phone confirming with SI10 that they had seem no sign of any attempt on the crown jewels. _

_Jim was having lessons, they had covered common Scottish words and he now knew _

_Crabbit – bad tempered_

_Isnae – is not_

_Ken – know_

_Nippin' – nagging_

_Bonnie – beautiful_

_Ye bas – you bastard_

_They had moved on to __the advantage of a good blade and the sgian-dubh tucked inside the stocking. Dempsey had regaled them with stories of survival in the Brooklyn neighbourhoods and his skill with graphite on a stiletto switchblade. _

_The conversation over dessert covered Caledonian beer and now the pinnacle of the evening was underway: single malt whiskies. Dempsey obeyed the instructions with the first, smelling swirling and sipping. It was different process to the pub or a 'home from wor'k drink but still very enjoyable. The second single malt was not as distinctive and by the third his cigar smoke overrode any bouquet and Dempsey was, as usual, simply enjoying the warmth running down his throat and relaxing his persona._

"Ho ye! _Ye taen a lik'n to tha bonnie lass?" Dougal mooted noting the repeated glances Dempsey made over to the table where Harry was sitting and before there was a chance for a reply he continued "I think she ha taen a shine ta ye. Ye should be asking her for a dance" _

"_You reckon?"_

"_Aye man, canna ye do the gay gordons?"_

_The fear in Dempseys eyes was noted "It's alreet ye just walk round left 'n right and swing her well"_

_Dempsey was still staring frozen like prompting Dougal to add "it's just a dance lad ye not shy with women are ye?"_

"_A dance you say?" Dempsey checked_

"_Aye, it'll be the first o the nicht - tradition ye ken"_

"_**Gay**__ Gordons?" Dempsey emphasized the gay into a question at the same time trying not to offend anyone although overall they were a scrawny bunch of men in skirts and wearing knee high socks._

"_It's just a dance man! If ye dinnae ask her ye'll not mind if I do"_

_Dempsey was on his feet before Dougal had finished his sentence _

* * *

><p>"Alan McInsy is an old family friend and he volunteered to bring his pipes"<p>

"Should have shot the creature" Dempsey moaned "put a few holes in its belly"

She laughed "I knew it would wind you up"

* * *

><p>"<em>Seems this is a bum steer" Harry suggested<em>

"_Well it was your call sergeant" _

_Harry groaned but Dempsey was happy: Spikings always lay the blame at his feet when ever he and Harry rode roughshod or followed one of his hunches. It galled him that if one of his hunches worked out Harry got the accolade but he was stuck here and stuck with rough justice… But this one, he scrunched his mouth in satisfaction, this would go down to Harry. "A bum steer but a good night out" he suggested as they turned under Harry's discreet guidance "Have you booked us a room?"_

"_I've booked myself a room, we agreed on separate roles." _

"_I never agreed on nothin' You took me to a fancy dress shop and then dumped me in a zoo"_

"_Ahhh did you see the penguins?" Harry gooed "Don't they go for walk at tea time?" _

"_What the hell are you on about Makepeace it was a cop shop not a convent"_

_Harry almost stopped in the middle of the promenade as she tried to fathom out the conversation. As they fell out of a swing back into the walk "The zoo, black and white things that eat fish and swim…" _

_They reversed their walk and James tried again "Deskwork Makepeace, I was doing deskwork whilst you were?"_

_She pivoted round "Doing legwork" she smiled, deliberately provocative " smoothing, toning, oiling…"_

"_Get your coat sergeant - you've just pulled"_

"_Dempsey I am not sharing my bed with you under any circumstance"_

"_You ain't gonna see your bed princess" Dempsey leant into her ear "that steward has just walked out with our prize". _

_Harry frowned_

"_Look around" Dempsey instructed "those trolley with the silver domes were for the main course so why's that guy pushing a trolley across the dance floor?"_

"_Dempsey that's so hackneyed – this isn't Tom and Jerry"_

"_Well let him go and see what Spikings says in the morning…" Dempsey taunted_

_They slipped outside with Dempsey's arm wrapped around Harry's shoulder, an experience he rather enjoyed but as soon as they were out of public view she dipped out of his clutch. She heard his disappointed huff_

_"What? You didn't expect anything?"_

_"Well a kiss would be a good start" he moved in on her but Harry was quicker and already he was being pushed away_

_"Dempsey this had better be kosher.."_

_"Relax" he started to say and then pushed her hard back against the wall, standing over her about to have his way but hissing instructions about watching the guy now making his way to the left _

* * *

><p>A beautiful silence fell and they both surveyed the busyness below "Everybody else seems to be doing things - I feel like a spare part at my own wedding." Finally Dempsey turned and looked into her eyes "I really would have liked mummy here, there's way too much helpful advice out there"<p>

* * *

><p><em>The ginger headed Scottish steward was so intent on making his getaway that it wasn't until he was nearing the main exit that he realized he was being followed. As he ran out into the entrance courtyard he tossed his sack and jumped the wall. Dempsey leaped as well and the two men grabbed at the bag rolling over each other fighting for possession of the treasure as they involuntarily descended the grassy hill.<em>

_Harry ran down the steps on the left and onwards down into Grass Market waiting for their inevitable descent._

_The package had been tossed ahead of themselves several times and the two men fell as one against the lower wall. Dempsey held the redhead against the brickwork and punched his face but the sgian-dubh cutting a line down his arm and the boot that found his groin weakened his grip. _

_By the time he had recovered Dempsey could only follow his assailant over the lower wall and scrabble down the cliff face. Carrying the swag bag was a hindrance and Dempsey was readily catching the perpetrator who sacrificed the bag to a chase downwards which Dempsey won only to be sprung on by the freer running Scot. Harry gasped as they both nearly fell and once again the bag was dropped to ground level. Now out of sight Harry waited to see who would materialize over the wall first. In fact they emerged together; Dempsey landing on top of the scot._

_Harry stepped forward "Armed Police. Freeze"_

_Dempsey rolled off the guy and laid back on the ground panting, letting Harry take charge. As she read the ginger head his rights Dempsey sat up - his legs spread wide, his knees bent up as he continued to catch his breath. Harry grinned "Lieutenant" she smirked "if you're going to wear a skirt you're going to have to learn how to sit more elegantly"_

_Dempsey growled pulling the kilt forward and lowering his knees_

"_But it's nice to know" Harry giggled "that you kept the tradition"_

* * *

><p>"Your job is look beautiful and enjoy yourself" he stood behind her and leant his chin on her head "forget about all that stuff out there, everyone is having, and will have, a great time - even the dragons in the tent are in their element. Look Darren and Daniel have never had so much sound to play with..."<p>

"Exactly - do you think they can do it?"

"Sure they can - you've made their day, probably their year and even if something goes wrong everyone will love it all"

"I wish I had your confidence"

"You do sweetheart, you just have a bit too much time to worry..." the buzz of a police helicopter interrupted

* * *

><p><em>Dempsey sprung up and grabbed the cloth sack. He yanked it open and thrust his hand inside. Recoiling at the touch he turned the bag upside down and shook the contents out. Harry watched three grouse and two haggis fall onto the pavement.<em>

_As Dempsey kicked each item in turn and Harry collapsed into a heap of laughter the redheaded steward scurried away even daring to collect his booty. _


	4. Triggers

**The flash back this time is to June 1988**

A nervous glance darted between the two observers; "I'll go and check" and once again James Dempsey was left alone with his thoughts. The past surged forward with great ease; it wasn't as if it was the first time these images had swum around his mind this past week. He had known this would happen, it was one of the reasons he had avoided the last few days. He'd never truly come to grips with weddings since then and as much as this was a magical day that he was truly looking forward to the ghosts sent occasional shivers down his spine. The last wedding he had truly been relaxed at had been Chas Jarvis' and Alice; he scrunched a smile remembering that he could deliver a good speech and crinkles filled the corners of his eyes

* * *

><p><em>It wasn't even a Saturday; Harry had been quite insistent – she had done the big wedding do and this time she just wanted small and simple. The moment they had tried to select a small guest list the trouble had started – there was no possibility of just a few guests. More than a few people worked at SI10, more than a few people had been at Winfield Hall all of Harriet's life, more than a few people wanted to fly from New York to see the unbelievable actually happen. Dempsey just wanted to be a husband and a dad – two roles he had never imagined would be his.<em>

_The Rev'd Buckeridge had suggested a blessing in St Peters afterwards. Her father had suggested using Winfield Hall and Dempsey clung to his own earlier suggestion of high jacking the annual dinner dance and the fete as it marked the year since he'd actually asked Freddy for her hand._

_The negotiations had rivalled the United Nations and concluded in the registry office with Harry's father, Dempsey's mother, Angela (as nominated by Harry) and Gordon Spikings (James' choice)_

_Dempsey had never felt so grateful to Angela as now. She had taken his clucking mother and preened her both physically and verbally allowing Dempsey and Spikings to sit comfortably in their own silence in the front of the car. They spoke very little, unlike the two women in the back but all four were supremely happy._

* * *

><p><em>The white rolls made its way along Walworth Road, Harry checked with her father for a third time and craned her neck to look at the road works. The stopgo sign seemed to release barely two or three cars at a time_

_Her father put a calming hand across "We've got plenty of time"_

_Harry sat back and grazed the high street: the mums with trailing children, the hobbling OAP, the disgruntled YTS and Super Sid and Fingers Fred. Super Sid so named because of his large size frequently inflated by hardware stored out of sight. Fingers Fred best known for safe breaking - she sat upright, alert, watching the two suspects pass Barclays Bank; she scanned up the road – there was no other bank. She screwed up her forehead trying to remember where the next bank was and a reason why these two scoundrels would be in the area. The car jolted and moved on and Harry's attention was drawn back to the street ahead. As the chauffeur inched forward the lollipop swung back to stop and drew a heavy sigh from the occupants_

_Harry watched as Sid and Fred tip their caps and double checked the street before dipping themselves and a navy holdall into Pridmore Bookmakers. With no pause for thought she opened the passenger door_

_"Harriet?" Her father startled_

_She turned back directing her comments to the chauffeur "I won't be a moment"_

_"Leave it" her Father commanded assuming she was about to give the poor workmen a roasting_

_"Those two" she nodded towards Fingers "are up to something"_

_"You don't need to do this" Freddy admonished rather taken aback_

_"It's my job, it's who I am" her legs swiveled onto the pavement_

_"You're about to become a wife and a mother"_

_"That doesn't stop me being a cop" gritty determination flooded the beauty of her face momentarily, her father sighed "there is such a thing as priorities" he was forced to lecture_

_"Yes and mine is to protect the people of London" She was now standing, leaning back into the car briefly "Those two can be up to no good and we're not exactly getting anywhere fast" She watched to see if anyone else had gone into the premises "And as you said yourself we have plenty of time"_

_"Harry….."_

_"…..Don't lecture me. Don't think I'm about to turn into my mother, dutiful and at home. That's not who I am" She noticed the hurt cut across her fathers face and stopped "I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that I guess I'm scared of people having the wrong expectations about me"_

_This was not the conversation to be having between a passenger and bystander Freddy shuffled across the seat to speak more easily "I know you're still not certain about marrying James"_

_"You can't say that!" her protest swung her back towards her father_

_"Well why did you stop the car at the first opportunity of a diversion and why are we still here?" Freddy suddenly felt weary; he wasn't sure he could handle this but he carried on "You don't have to get married"_

_Harry stood leaning across the car door; she spoke out loud, not directly into the car "James would be so hurt. He wants the happy family - you know I considered an abortion"_

_Her father directed his words up and out "Quite rightly"_

_Harry looked shocked; she listened, staring forward, as her father continued "Of course you should have considered it and having done so you chose to keep the baby. It's too late to change your mind on that one now but you can still call the wedding off"_

_Self defense kicked in "We were on the way to Chas Jarvis' wedding - Dempsey was best man - and on the radio it announced a bank robbery. Dempsey dumped the rings into Chas' hands and we chased to the bank…." She left the rest of the tale untold and walked off_

* * *

><p>Dempsey laughed as the bride clad in wellies and still wrapped in a fluffy bathrobe edged out of the door below into the grounds. With all the skills of a rugger player in possession of the ball she darted between cousins, aunts and Lady Symington-Bown<p>

* * *

><p><em>The time allocated was 11.15 and by 10.40 the foursome had duly arrived outside the Camden Registry Office. The sun was shining; the sky blue with small cotton wall clouds scuttling across and outside a happy couple were just emerging for photographs on the green where tall leylandii formed the backdrop. Dempsey adjusted his tie, unbuttoned and re-buttoned his waistcoat for something to do and after a couple of minutes Angela suggested they made their way inside.<em>

_The registrar greeted them with a big smile and expressed her gratitude that they were there in plenty of time._

_"Well the bride ain't actually here yet" Dempsey quipped "but I'm used to waiting for her"_

_The smile dropped off Mary Broadbents face but with nearly half an hour to go she bit her tongue. Late brides were the bain of her life, she could do twice as many weddings if they didn't have to schedule for the delays._

* * *

><p><em>Harry's march was observed by shoppers pausing mid stride to see a stunning beauty in a classic shift dress, elegant embroidered sculptured jacket and high heels enter the peeling green painted door of Pridmore Bookmakers.<em>

_The cars behind tooted; the large saloon was now holding up the traffic_

_Inside the two shady men had pulled out a gun demanding access to the safe; the staff were now fumbling to unlock the side door and acquiesce; the three punters already inside were pushing themselves back against the wall and edging towards the door_

_"Police" Harry announced regretting not taking her gun to her own wedding as she put herself between the trouble and the door. As the three clients escaped Harry was forced to instruct them to dial 999._

_Super Sid laughed manically and with his gun now pointing at Harry he walked towards her_

_"On your own?" he sneered "Not got a gun? Where's your yank?" Harry felt the metal nuzzle under her chin "Hey look Fingers we've got the fuzz all dressed up and no where to go"_

_The side door now opened and Fred was past the ashen white staff and into the back office and the safe_

_Sid pushed Harry through as well, herding the two staff and her into the far corner._

_Fingers took out a package, placing it carefully on what was supposed to be the office desk; He smirked with pride at his own handiwork, delighted to see the fear in the eyes of his captives as they recognized the explosive device. He looked towards Harry with disdain as he activated the timer "you should have kept out of it" he sneered __"When we've done the safe we'll tell you how to disarm it. You stop us and we'll leave it to go off"_

* * *

><p>Dempsey turned and smiled, he'd been hoping for someone different to open the door but this was a welcome guest.<p>

"Mr Jim" the broad warm smile reflected the upbeat greeting "I've been sent to check you're alright and get anything you need." The happy, handsome gent, somewhere near 30 years old was dressed in full morning suit. He looked and felt comfortable, happy and totally relaxed.

"Scotch on the rocks" Dempsey requested "only I guess what they really meant is for you to check that I'm top and tailed and ready"

Matthew stepped inside, closing the door behind him and noting that Dempsey hadn't started the dressing process "There's still well over an hour and a half to go" he excused

"What's it like down there?" Dempsey asked

Matthew laughed "It's better up here"

Dempsey unscrewed the top of his hip flask, took a mouthful and offered it over "Here's to weddings"

"To weddings" Matthew confirmed

* * *

><p><em>At just past eleven, sitting at her desk, the nervous registrar explained to Angela that if the other guests had arrived it would be best for them all to be seated. Angela said they were only waiting on the bride and her father and Mrs Broadbent pointedly looked at her watch.<em>

_"I'll be looking for her arrival" Angela reassured as she slipped back outside._

_At 11.10 she still wasn't there and Dempsey joked "there's one thing worse than waiting for one woman- it's waiting for a bride."_

* * *

><p><em>"Don't you know the safe code?" Harry hissed at the two jelly like staff<em>

_"None of us have the code or keys" one stuttered_

_"Its part of the security" the other defended_

_"You payout wins" Harry pointed out_

_"The boss comes later – the big money don't start til 2"_

_Harry looked at her watch and tried to bury her regrets – they were beginning to cloud her judgment_

_Outside Freddy was pacing, the rolls had moved onto the pavement to allow traffic past and had now attracted the attention of a traffic warden._

_Freddy pushed through the door "Harriet"_


	5. Timers

**I don't know if you like this pattern / style or if you have picked up on any very subtle clues as to the date- but reviews are helpful for things like that.**

The noise stopped; the Helicopter had landed and cut its rotors

"Hey it's all quite out there again" Dempsey observed

"I'll go and kidnap the strangled cat, hold the pipes to ransom"

"Good man Matthew"

"You know this is going to be so much fun" Matthew laughed as he watched and continued "look where else would you see a bride in wellies vaulting a gate"

"Well it's real good to know all the key people are actually here"

"Sounds like that's spoken with experience"

"Trust me it is" Dempsey raised his hip flask again "but that's past and this is now"

* * *

><p><em>It was an uncomfortable lurch that James felt in his stomach as a sickening feeling rose from his belly and he swallowed hard to push the fear back down. It had never once occurred to him that Harry might not turn up. He looked at the registrar and smiled nervously; he gained no reassurance back – Mary Broadbent had seen the same scenario only yesterday. There was a difference you see, one she didn't share with the ashen, sweating groom sitting in front of her: late brides sent messages, totally optimistic lies about how soon they would be there, 2 minutes meant five, three meant ten and five meant twenty and a huge fine but no message meant no bride; she would offer them to do the wedding after the next – only once had she had to keep that promise.<em>

* * *

><p><em>"Bloody Hell didn't you lock the front door?" Fred suddenly wondered about the punters "where are those fat gits that were in here?" he looked up from the safe<em>

_"She let them out" Sid jerked his thumb back towards Harry_

_"You cretin"_

_Freddy walked into the shop "Harriet?"_

_Sid looked out "it's only an old man just take the money and we'll run" he watched anxiously as the dials on the safe spun and Fred stood up to survey the damage_

_"Let the lady go" Freddy called "she's pregnant"_

_"Shut up old man" Fred nudged Sid to get on with clearing out the safe_

_"Look let me stay here instead of her" Freddy's voice was thin_

_"She's fuzz, she stays" Fred was authoritive, and inwardly cursing the amateur mistakes of his partner_

_"Freddy get out of here" Harry called across, she really couldn't cope with any more regrets she was beginning to drown under them before her father had stepped into the mess._

_"Sorry lady he stays" Fred pushed the old man in_

_"What about that?" Sid nodded towards the bomb_

_"Leave it for them" Fred sneered "a present from us" he pulled the door to and locked it behind them_

* * *

><p>"The girls are ok?" Dempsey asked taking his eyes off the scene below<p>

"Oh you mean the bridesmaids?"

"Yeh, isn't Jenny one of them?"

Matthew nodded "That many women and girls in one room is way too scary for me to venture near but word on the ground is that all's well" he accepted the hip flask "Seems they've been up for hours: hair and nails apparently"

* * *

><p><em>James walked to the open front door of the main building and stood next to Angela as she scanned the street<em>

_"What have I done wrong?" he choked_

_"Nothing James" Angela slipped her arm into his "It must just be some traffic"_

_Very tentatively he suggested "She did want this didn't she?"_

_"Of course she did James"_

_"She's not coming is she?" voicing his fears only made him more nauseous "She didn't want a big wedding or anything "Dempsey reasoned "….was that 'cos she wasn't sure?"_

_"James she is besotted by you" Angela tried to reassure him_

_"But?" he knew there would be 'a but', a 'dear John' letter coming in the post_

_But nothing she just didn't want a big fuss"_

_"I don't know what I'll do" he held his own counsel in silence before deciding "There ain't no point"_

_"Jim; stop maudlin!" Angela squeezed his arm "H loves you, she has done for years, probably since she first clapped eyes on you.."_

_"Now there you go lyin' again" Dempsey managed a weak smile_

_"Well ok" Angela relented "maybe she just loved your body at first"_

_"Yeh and my roguish charm won her round"_

_"Exactly"_

_"But she ain't actually here is she and that Registrar woman's giving me the heebe geebees"_

* * *

><p><em>"Shall we throw the bomb out?" the female staff member suggested tentatively<em>

_"We can't" Harry stated_

_"Don't see why not" the over weight, long haired male member protested"_

_"Because the general public are out there, someone might get hurt"_

_"We might get hurt" the sweat was mixing with the grease in his lanky hair "and I'm rather keen on staying alive myself sweet heart" he leaned forward to take the package but Harry put her hand on top first_

_"I agree" the words of the plaintive female voice were vibrating with her nerves "We can throw it through that little window_

_"Onto the side alley that I saw mums and kids using to get to the park" Harry's tone was harsh and bitterness was beginning to creep in. She couldn't not do the right thing but doing it was costing her her life and for the first time she cursed the police force._

_"But what about us?" The woman was now curled up in a ball "I'm a life, I'm a person aren't you meant to save me?"_

_"It's all your bloody fault for coming in" the guy accused "we just give them what they want"_

_"Yeh it's not like it's our money or anything"_

_Harry angrily stormed over to the tiny sofa and dragged it in front of the safe with the seat towards the safe and the back acting as a guard. "Get behind that" she instructed_

_The two staff moved on the order_

_"I've got a date with a new boyfriend tonight" the woman cried "I'm too young to die"_

_"Shut up" Harry pushed her down to safety "I'm meant to be at my wedding" she said through gritted teeth trying not to scream "I think that counts as more points than a first bloody date"_

_"Great get out clause" the oaff laughed_

_Incredulous "What's your name?" Harry demanded_

_"Bruce"_

_"Well Bruce you come out here will you; I want my father in that safe space"_

_"Harriet don't worry about me – I've had my three score and ten"_

_"Daddy you are a human being – this scum patently is not" Harrys anger produced enough physical force for her to drag Bruce out. Freddy stood firm._

_"Daddy I could well ruin my life, James' life and yours, now please will you afford me the tiny comfort of trying to protect you" Oh god the self pity was coming through, she could hear and feel it and she knew she had to keep it down but at least it had the desired effect on her father_

* * *

><p>The helicopter took off again "Guess it wasn't Wills flying it" Matthew joked as they watched the party making its way towards the house<p>

Dempsey was in his own thoughts "I hope that thing about the groom seeing the bride before the wedding isn't true"

"It's rubbish" Matthew reassured him

"Good"

"I didn't know the commissioner was coming on the same 'copter" As they drew closer Matthew could now recognize the individuals

Dempsey humphed happily and Matthew smiled to himself "I'll be leaving you to get ready Sir"

"Jim please Matty,"

"Well Mr Jim then; I like that – it's special"

"Hey me too – thanks for the company"

* * *

><p><em>"I'll get onto Chas – see if there's any traffic" Spikings reassured both Sophia and the registrar<em>

_"No Gov; nothing showing up on the computer" Chas was about the put the receiver down "Gov just coming in on the computer – a safe job in Pridmore Bookmakers Walworth Rd"_

_"Who's attending?"_

_"South division and Kennington both on their way"_

_"Ok well unless there's anything of interest leave it with them Chas"_

_"Hang on Gov there's something about Police hostages and a smart woman getting out of a white rolls. Seems the alarm was raised by a few punters she help escape"_

_"Oh bloody hell" Spikings rubbed his head "Get everyone we have down there Chas; do we know anything about who's involved"_

_"Sounds like Super Sid and Fingers"_

_"Small timers out of their depth; I hope this doesn't go wrong Chas – why couldn't she keep in the bloody car?"_

_"You know Harry Sir"_

* * *

><p><em>"Bruce you hold this" Harry placed the device in his hand as she looked under and over it. She doubted that it was real or booby trapped but one could never take the risk.<em>

_The radio that had been playing anomalously in the background announced that it was 11.10 and Harry was jolted into do or die mode. She threw the mugs, teaspoons, two forks and one blunt knife on the floor in her frenzy to find something sharp._

_"Hey misses" Bruce protested_

_"I need something sharp" the contents of the desk draw were now on the floor_

_Rather surprisingly Bruce put the bomb back down and produced a Swiss army knife which Harry grabbed out of his hand. Self preservation kicked in and just as Bruce was about to make a sarky comment about saying thank you he thought better of it and retreated to join the other two behind the sofa._

_Harry thought of Dempsey, 'always cut the short wire' she could hear his voice and see his smile 'You see sergeant it's quite easy really': she adored the smile and she had even grown to love the smug cocksure manner in which he spoke the words . The minutes were ticking away; Harry had no idea how much longer she could afford to wait. Her lessons from Dempsey on tackling explosives meant that his presence was filling her mind and now she was worried about him waiting for her at the registry office – would he understand? He would surely, wouldn't he? O god she knew he would be hurt, but he would have done the same – wouldn't he? She tried to convince herself and convincing brought her back full circle to the package in front of her. _

_She cut the wire._


	6. Tragedy

Dempsey took his shower; dressed and with one last swig from his hip flask left the sanctity of his room and braved the gathering throng in the garden.

His sister Karen darted over to him "Hey brother you're looking rather dapper" she unnecessarily tweaked his bow tie and brushed his shoulder. I thought you were going to stay hidden forever up there.

Dempsey snorted "I'll let you into a secret Sis I'm really rather looking forward to when it's over"

She squeezed his arm, rather like Angela had done on that fateful day "It's ok" then she laughed "It was bloody cheeky to use a police copter"

"Hey every one's here…"

"I know" she started to guide her brother towards the sound guys "that's all your worries over"

"Well…" Dempsey paused to correct her but the twinkle in his eyes danced in his words "there's the actually walking down the aisle and the speech….."

* * *

><p><em>Dempsey was sat back in the waiting room being unable to bear looking any more; he turned towards the foot steps approaching, he had been right – they belonged to his Boss<em>

_"There was a safe job, seems Harry stopped by, they left a bomb…"_

_Dempsey was on his feet, Spikings pushed him down __"I seem to remember hearing a story about you on the way Chas Jarvis' wedding" _

_Dempsey was torn between pointing out that he was best man not the groom and that Harry was with the bomb and not him. He rose despite Spikings' protestations_

_"You can't get there Lieutenant" Spikings called_

_Dempsey swung back viciously "You don't seriously expect me to sit here!"_

_"You can't help her"_

_"I want to be there"_

_Angela ran in "You're wanted on the phone"_

_Both men sprung outside but Angela grabbed on to Dempsey's arm and Dempsey stopped – he didn't want to hear … perhaps if he didn't hear it wouldn't be true. Oh for the simplicity of his childhood – those days when you believed that if you closed your eyes no one could see you. His dream was fast becoming his nightmare._

* * *

><p><em>The shattering glass blew the silence into smithereens and the voices instructing men clear the area, call the ambulances were followed by an almighty "STOP! EVERYONE STOP….. THERE'S A DEVICE…. ALL OFFICERS CLEAR OUT …. CALL THE BOMB SQUAD"<em>

_Harry Makepeace picked her way delicately across the shards of glass and splintered wood that had been the barriers between the public shop and private offices before the Kennington division had arrived and kicked, battered or rammed their way through. Despite a small trickle of blood running down her upper arm she looked immaculate. She picked up the small explosive package and tossed it towards the Commanding officer who, out of instinct, caught it._

_"It never held enough powder to do the damage your men have just created" she informed him dryly. _

_Freddy fished out his white cotton handkerchief and passed it to Harry adding "If we get out of here and you drive like a camacarzie American we might still make it"_

_"And you are?" Demanded the extremely annoyed and arrogant officer_

_"DS Makepeace SI10 and I'm not hanging around I have a wedding to attend" she followed her father towards the sunshine but just before she stepped out into it she turned once more to the puce looking policeman "Oh and by the way you need to be looking for Super Sid and Fingers Fred – you shouldn't have too much difficulty finding them since they are well known in the criminal fraternity" She peeped below the cotton pad she was pressing n her arm checking the bleeding had stopped._

_Harry turfed the driver out of the rolls "I need to get there fast" she said "I'll drive"_

_"You can't do that" her chauffeur protested_

_"I can I'm commandeering this car on police business"_

_Freddy slid in the passenger door of the car and closed his eyes as it screeched out on the road and swerved past the oncoming single file of cars._

* * *

><p>"Hey boys" Dempsey called you gonna blast us with some classic Neil Young?"<p>

They laughed as they taunted "Ha – we've got some Abba"

"Not coming out of those I hope" Dempsey joked back "we have some real class here"

"Even the grannies dance to it" Darren defended jovially

"And it was a special request of the bride"

Dempsey smiled at their unnecessary self-defense "Boys, boys" then he sung "here I go again, how can I resist you" and stopped bursting out laughing

"Watch out" the lads suddenly warned "Mrs McDiarmid is on her way over"

"Catch you later" Dempsey started to dive off left calling back "– and don't going playing Mamma Mia when the bride walks down the aisle"

* * *

><p><em>Spikings wore one of his stupid smirks as he returned towards Angela and Dempsey "It seems the Sergeant managed ok with this one" he announced rather proudly as if he'd been her trainer, he continued "she diffused it then left the Kennington boys to clear up their mess"<em>

_Dempsey looked at his watch; he smiled and returned to the registry office itself. Sitting next to his mother Sophia took his hand "She will come son, I know she will"_

_"Yeh, there was just a bit of trouble on route"_

_"You know Jimmy I knew your sister would get married but you, you Jimmy I never thought you'd settle down"_

_"Who said anything about settling down?" Dempsey protested lightly_

_The blues and twos siren brought a smile to the faces of the waiting party; "Seems your girl got herself a lift here" Sophia leaned across and whispered to Dempsey. Angela was on her feet dashing off to check on Harry and there was Freddy standing in the doorway._

_Instantly they all knew something was terribly terribly wrong_

_Dempsey read the story of the crest fallen old man but his worst nightmare was nothing as bad as what his future father in law was about to tell him._

_"There's been an accident"_

_I was one of those moments when time stopped and then words tumbled out of everyone at once_

_ "What happened?"_

_ "Where was she taken?"_

_ "Let's go"_

_Freddy looked blank. He had no idea; in fact he couldn't even remember getting there. The uniformed officer appeared_

_"She swerved to avoid some kids chasing a ball into the road; but the car had no turning circle to speak off and she crashed into the corner of a wall, it came down on top of her._

_A dreadful silence fell; no one dare ask the next question_

_"The gentleman", PC Asbury nodded towards Freddy who was now showing all the signs of shock, white, sweating with a constant tremor "was so strongly insistent on coming that the paramedic gave the ok, given the circumstances and all"_

_"Which hospital?" Spikings asked again_

_"St Thomas'"_

_Sophia put her coat around Freddy "Come on we've got to get you checked out there too"_

_The small party started to follow the constable out, Dempsey watched them place one foot in front of the other "Wait" he shouted "you haven't said…."_

_PC Asbury turned back "I'm sorry" _

_The piercing wail that left Dempsey as he collapsed onto his knees cut through everyone in the room; outside in the corridor passers by froze at the sound as his soul was wrenched from his innermost being and rent in two._

_PC Asbury turned to Angela "_I don't know - it was bad - __I'm sorry__"__

_Angela did the only thing she could; she faked hope. She had never done it in such a way before but there had to be hope, there had to be "James - he doesn't know" she tugged at him "let's go – we have to find out – it might be good news"_

_Mary Broadbent considered that this was most definitely a first and a scenario she never wished to see again. She went to bathroom, reapplied her make up and on returning to her office welcomed the next party, feeling oh so grateful that bride and groom were both already in the building._

* * *

><p>Patricia McDiarmid didn't drag Dempsey into the marquee; his sister it seemed was equally evil. Dempsey took one glance, declared it 'alright' and ducked out leave Karen to call after him "Alright? You can't just say something's alright"<p>

Dempsey spotted Angela – his ever faithful calming influence, the woman who rather surprisingly spoke more sense than any others he knew "Is the bride dressed yet?" Dempsey slipped his hand around her waist "only I don't want to be the only one dressed up like a turkey"

Angela turned "Now don't you look the part!" she drooled

"Yeh well you scrubbed all right too" he turned her on the spot "You're still showing that tight butt and them curves"

"Hey" she protested swiping his hand off her behind "people might be watching"

* * *

><p><em>Spikings was soon well informed and left the anxious party sitting in the relatives room. None had taken the advice of going home and when the doctor finally came Dempsey said he may as well tell them all as he couldn't be sure to relay information.<em>

_The news was devastating and no one actually took it in._

_'Life support because the baby was still alive. Ms Makepeaces' brain was so swollen they didn't know if there was extensive damage or none or anything in-between. The baby had suffered a severe shock, if it didn't abort in the next 48 hours there would be some hope but no one knew if there would be any permanent damage.'_

_"Can't you do something?" Dempsey demanded_

_When the doctor began into his sympathetic 'we're doing all that we can' Dempsey tensed ridged; when he mentioned about nature taking it's course Dempsey launched the doctor by his white coat against the wall "she saved goodness knows how many lives now it's your turn to save hers that's what you docs do ain't it?"_

_"We do our best sir" he choked_

_Angela tugged at Dempsey "James he's doing his best"_

_"Well that ain't good enough"_

_"It is all they can do"_

_James broke down into a sobbing mess and Angela clung to him as she mouthed repeated apologies to the consultant._

_"Next time I'll send my registrar" he said brushing himself down_

_"Can we see her?" Freddy piped up very uncertainly_

_"Only through the window, we need absolute peace and calm in the room"_

_The huddle stood staring at the plethora of wires and tubes coming and going from the body lying on the bed "She looks like an angel" Sophia whispered_

_"My angel" Dempsey claimed as the tears started to flow again_


	7. Trauma

**OK if you are a medic and think this is a load of implausible rubbish be assured that if I knew better I would just write plausible medical stuff to achieve the same scenario.**

"Ah there you are" Beth had been scanning the crowd for a full minute before she spotted her target "I've done you some fresh crab on toast" You need to be eating something before the wedding gets started" she fussed

Dempsey licked his lips; Beth always did something good with crab he brought back from Whitstable

"Ah James!" Colonel Withrington approached full stride

"And Alan's collected your New York Times" Beth whispered before she continued very conspiratorially "It's all in the kitchen where no one else can come"

"Colonel!" Dempsey greeted loudly "It seems I'm needed in the kitchens; I'll catch up with you later"

* * *

><p><em>"We need to sedate your wife"<em>

_"She's not my wife…."_

_"All but"_

_"'But'" Dempsey echoed back "– such a little word that makes such a f'*ing difference – bit like missing out two little words –'I do'" Dempsey complained bitterly. He knew others had told him he was being over sensitive on this and in truth he might even agree if the circumstances had been different. The innocent comments were just too cruel and cut deep into the raw wound_

_"I'm sorry" Doctor Flackery Petros back down and made a mental note to warn the others "We need to sedate Harriett"_

_"She's woken?" Dempsey jumped up "I wanna see her"_

_"She's not awake, but she is beginning to move which is a good thing but also gives us a problem"_

_"I don't see why?"_

_"We need to put her in an induced coma to allow the brain swelling to go down. " The doc checked to see if Dempsey was following "if we don't the risk of the aneurysm bursting or general brain damage is greater"_

_"Can I see her first?"_

_"Of course" that bit would be easy, Petros paused and took a deep breath "but we have more complications that we need to discuss"_

_The ashen grey look returned to Dempsey's face and he waited for the white coated doctor to continue_

_"We need to deliver the baby first"_

_"It ain't due yet"_

_"But the drugs are highly likely to harm the baby"_

_"I thought it was bad for babies to be born too early"_

_"I'm afraid we have to make some tough choices here"_

_"We?" Dempsey was sharp and on edge_

_"Ultimately it is your choice Mr Dempsey"_

_"To roll the dice and play the percentages?" James questioned angrily_

_"I understand you do that daily as a cop?"_

_"For me yeh" Dempsey conceded "that's in a job I know"_

_'**We're in the front line remember You've to go with the percentages this time I was lucky next time... I dont want to be around next time'** Now he knew exactly the fears that had flood Harry's head last summer and he felt rather inclined to agree with her. Should they have quit then – before anything had really started? Only it had already started hadn't it – he had already lost his heart to her sometime back goodness knows when. **'hey sergeant it was a one in a million you know it could have been a burst tyre on the runway - you know – a flock of birds in the engine, clear air turbulence, a navigational error'** Or damn kids jumping out into the road round the corner from your wedding….. '**what are you going to do? Start taking the boat? Life is hard them you die'** Death was something he knew he would face one day and it had never bothered him but now… now he had plans – plans for living._

_The doctor's word broke into his mulling "Things are risky, it could go wrong, the baby will only be 34 weeks and will need to go straight into scbu"_

_"Scoo boo?"_

_"Special care baby unit - babies born this early can have problems with breathing."_

_"And if you don't do this?"_

_"The baby could die in utero, put to sleep by the drugs"_

_"What about Harry?"_

_"Whatever we do is risky for her she as she doesn't really need any complication - her life support has to be changed during the anesthetic"_

_"And if the baby dies?"_

_"Harriet is at greater risk if the baby dies and she goes into labour, we have to operate any way and we've lost one life._

_"If you don't do this sedation?" James questioned_

_"The risk of brain damage is higher, that or she could bleed – ruptured aneurysms can lead to death"_

_"Higher? How much higher?" Dempsey demanded_

_"I don't know"_

_"But you think she needs this?"_

_"There is no doubt that if she wasn't pregnant we would put her in an induced coma for her own safety" Dr Petros went back a step as his experience told him "– you know she is still very critical, Harriet only just has an odds on chance of living" In his experience he family clung so much to the small chance of life that death came as such a shock._

_"You keep telling me I might loose both of them" Dempsey muttered_

_"We need to deliver the baby to help Harriet"_

_"You can't ask me to decide all this"_

_"Someone has too." Dr Petros said "We'll give you a few hours. There is space in the theatres at 4.00 this afternoon"_

_Dempsey watched the back of the white coat pass through the door; then he himself was up and out of the door calling after him "I figure that it's your job" the doctor turned back as Dempsey continued "When I do my job I call the shots, I decide on the risks and this doc, this, this is your job" Dempsey rubbed his fingers though his hair "hell I don't even know how you're gonna get the baby out"_

_Dr Petros led Dempsey back into the side room "The emergency caesarian will be done with two teams of doctors; one to look after Harriett and one to deliver the baby. As soon as the baby is born it will be taken by ambulance in an incubator to Great Ormond Street. Harriet will be kept sedated and returned to ITU"_

_"You think this is safe?"_

_"It's safer than leaving the baby there"_

_Dempsey nodded his head; he had to look out for Harry. Dr Petros noted the non verbal consent "I'm going to have to ask you to sign the papers" he ventured_

_"Can I be there?" James asked_

_"I'll ask the obs team" the doctor passed the consent forms "Did you discuss names with Harriett?"_

_Dempsey snorted "Every night Harry'd climb into bed beside me and she reel off another few names and I'd suggest a few terrible ideas just to wind her up"_

_"Well you can call the baby by a nickname til you decide" the doc reassured him "sweetie, or sonny maybe"_

_"What will I do if I lose her?" Dempsey had pondered that question so much in the past twenty four hours but he'd never asked it out loud – that made it seem all the more possible_

_"People move on" Dr Petros suggested as gently as he could "and you'll be a dad, you'll have a kid to raise"_

_"That ain't guaranteed either is it doc?"_

_Flackery Petros considered the risk; he pointed to signature box on the consent form "Let's have some hope eh Mr Dempsey? "_

* * *

><p>Gordon Spikings hated helicopters but it seemed churlish to turn down the offer. He was staying for the ensuing week and would book a taxi all the way back to London if necessary but not wanting to cause any problem on the big day itself he had held his breath all the way. He considered today to be a minor (if not major) miracle; he'd watched Dempsey tear himself apart after the birth of his daughter. SI10 had lost its best crime fighting duo forever that fateful day; the passion with which Dempsey had hunted and chased down the criminal world for three years had been extinguished by the beeping of life support machines. On a good day Dempsey say in the Scbu all morning and spent the afternoon and evening by Harry's bedside; on a bad day he rushed from the urgent call of one hospital to the other fearful of not being there in time. In just one week he'd lost a stone; he'd also grown a beard which thankfully that wonderful Angela had persuaded him to shave off arguing that Harry needed to wake to familiarity and reassurance.<p>

**PS the next chapter contains the first of the answers you are waiting for **


	8. Tinkerbell

**So sorry; it seems it is 41 days since I uploaded a chapter – just blame Gynis and twitter.**

**you will probably have to read the previous - I did!**

The kitchen door opened gingerly and a head popped round to see if all was clear.

Dempsey whistled "Wooo you're still in your fluffy slippers and dressing gown"

"Stop panicking it only takes a minute to put the dress on I checked just now"

"Ahh Tinkerbell" Dempsey sing songed "I ain't ever known you just take a minute to put a dress on"

She sighed in exasperation and sitting on the adjacent stool took her fathers hand "I'm so glad Grampy Gordon is here"

"He wouldn't miss your wedding for anything"

"You know if you weren't here I'd have got him to walk me down the aisle." She pinched a square of toast "ummmm this crab is good"

"You want me to go?" Dempsey teased "I can go out on Pete's boat anytime"

"No dad" his daughter protested in good humour "I was just saying"

"And so was I" He kissed her forehead "you know the first time I did that I could hold you in one hand"

"And you could have dropped me!"

"Don't worry you had so many wires and tubes you wouldn't have reached the floor"

"Dad!"

"Your forehead was the only bit of you that wasn't covered in sticky tape holding something in you" James pushed her back so he could make a head to toe appraisal "you did alright kid"

"Well that's plenty enough reminiscing" she moved off "I only came to make sure you were dressed" and then stopped with an afterthought and an uncertain question "you haven't got any of that rubbish in your speech?"

"No I've got far worse" Dempsey promised "it's a dad's job to embarrass his daughter"

"It's your job to say I look beautiful and then shut up"

"Hey you always look beautiful" she sighed and her dad continued "But you've got to admit it's your own fault I have so many tales to choose from…."

"Dad….."

"You did that stuff not me!"

"Whatever!"

As Olivia Dempsey exited the kitchen Anglea swooped in bearing a tray of full champagne flutes and placed them in the centre of the table. She watched the door close behind the bride and then turned back to address James "Do you ever regret not getting married?"

Dempsey shrugged "D'you think a few words matter?"

Angela wasn't willing to commit herself "Lib seems to think it does"

"She never turned up for a wedding that got transferred to the ER room" Dempsey reached out and helping himself to a glass tasted the champagne "I never felt I could tempt fate after that – you know that Angie"

"But after all these years"

"All these years" Dempsey was vacant as his voice trailed off "doesn't seem any point now" Dempsey was back in the hospital

He'd lived on coffee for days, refused to go home or sleep and the only reason he didn't smell was because Angela had brought with her a change of clothes every time she visited; he knew he owed her so much. And so did Olivia.

It had been Angela who had bought Olivia her first tiny dress saying that she needed to start developing a fashion sense. Angela had encouraged him to change the oversized nappies rather than leaving it to the nurses but he had let Angela give the tiny baby her first bath so fearful was he of dropping and drowning his daughter. Now some 20 odd years later Angela was still there for Olivia; that this wedding dress would seem to have some semblance of tradition might even be down to Angela alone and that first lacy creation.

* * *

><p><em>The lack of sleep had put Dempsey on the ragged edge and as for the third day running, despite promises the previous day, the doctor refused to wake Harry from her coma and Dempsey had strung him up against the wall. Now Angela was in the Chief Medical Officer -Martin Hopwood's office sitting in front of a panel consisting of four men and one lady trying to persuade them that Harry needed the regular visits from Dempsey. Dr Petros was demanding Dempsey be banned from the hospital, for him that was a climb down for the assault charges he wished to press. <em>

"_He's just worried darlings" Angela argued_

"_So is the husband of the Silvia in the next room and the father of Mitchell in the end bay" Dr Petros retorted "but they don't grab me by the throat and throw me against the wall"_

"_It's just his way" Angela soothed "in his line of work…." _

"_No wonder the Birmingham Six complain about rough justice" Bob Walker began_

"_That's got nothing to do with him" defend Angela_

"_Over zealous cops" Bob muttered_

"_Jim is not bent he's just over tired and very frightened"_

"_Me too lady" Petros re-launched his complaint_

"_Perhaps" Mr Hopwood suggested as a first compromise "Mr Dempsey could be persuaded to sleep a little longer at home" he looked directly at Angela "Do you think you could persuade him Miss…" he came to a standstill not knowing her surname._

"_When he's home he can't sleep"_

"_Do we know if he threatens the staff at Great Ormond Street?" Asked the gentleman on the left_

_All eyes turned to him then back to Angela "They've never complained" she shrugged beginning to feel totally exhausted herself; it wasn't as if she'd actually had much sleep herself torn between visiting Harry and the baby as well as trying to care for Jim and regular phone calls to Winfield Hall where an exhausted and very frail Lord Winfield was being cared for. _

"_Can I ask what the difference is?" the suited board member on the far right of table had thus far said very little_

_Angela answered without thinking "because the baby is alive; the doctors give us hope and mainly she's doing well"_

"_Has she got a name?" asked the only female panel member Barbara Barlow_

"_We're waiting for Harry to wake up" _

"_That must be hard" Everyone looked lost "to bond" Mrs Barlow clarified "for Mr Dempsey to bond with his daughter if she hasn't got a name"_

"_Tinkerbell! He calls her Tinkerbell" Angela felt herself getting snappy and defensive "And he goes to see her every morning"_

"_Is she expected" Barbara Barlow fished "to have any…." she struggled for the right phrase "problems?"_

"_I'm not her mother" the low voice was a warning sign "they discuss all that with her father"_

"_About whom you are here in support" the chair weighed in "And so you can please tell us what you know"_

"_She's tiny, but there again so is her mum. She's doing well, she's feeding with supplements through a tube; she stopped breathing twice but not recently, her heart seems good but yesterday she was jaundiced again so she is under the lights" Angela sat back and breathed out long and slow "She has good prospects"_

"_It seems your decision to go for early delivery was well founded Dr Petros" Dr Hopwood pointed out in support_

"_Well it's a shame Mr Dempsey doesn't trust me with my care of Harriet" Flackery protested_

"_I think he does" Angela repeated for what seemed like the umpteenth time _

"_Well why does he throw me against the wall when I say we have to keep her asleep?" Petros stood up "I care for all my patients and I will care for Harriet Makepeace but I don't care for her husband"_

"_Technically" Angela began yet again_

"_Yada yada I know technically he isn't her husband"_

"_Well may I respectfully suggest you don't inflame him"_

"_Could someone care to enlighten the panel?" _

_Anglea looked directly at Hopwood "Harriet was on her way to marry Jim Dempsey but never made it to the registry office; for Jim calling him her husband cuts deep"_

_Martin Hopwood nodded in acknowledgement of the point _

"_What are the prospects for the patient?" Dr Walker asked_

"_They are still very difficult; the bleeding we thought had stopped restarted and swelling has taken longer to go down" Dr Petros explained_

"_Does Mr Dempsey understand this?"_

"_Yes" said Angela at the exact said time Dr Petros answered "No"_

_Angela continued "He does understand, he's tired and frightened – he just needs some sleep. Banning him will make matters worse"_

"_So what do you suggest madam?"_

"_Well Dempsey is unconventional, he respects determination"_

"_I need a concrete plan otherwise I will insist he keeps away from this hospital for the good of my staff and our patients"_

_Angela had no idea where it sprung from, too many nights spent in the company of her best friends she would guess later, but right now the words just leapt out of her mouth "Shoot him" Bemusement scuttled around the board table "I mean give him one of those injections that put you out. They do it on films – a big injection in his arse"_

_A stunned silence shouted so loudly that Angela felt as if she'd just stuck the knife in and committed double murder. If she hadn't of been so mortified she may have been able to stand and walk out but as it was she sat there in the silence that stung like a thousand bees. _

_Then it happened: Flackery Petros started to laugh and as the noise rolled out from his belly he stood and placing his hands either side of Angela's cheeks he rocked her head slightly "wonderful" he exclaimed "that is pure brilliance" he kissed both cheeks "You are truly a wonderful friend and I love this idea" He released poor Angela and turned back to the Medical Director "Mr Hopwood I want to be the one; I want to administer that…"_

_Martin Hopwood held his hand up to stop Flackery there "I don't want to know anything other than that you are happy with the outcome of this informal review panel" _

_With the word 'informal' inserted into his statement the secretary tore her notes through and followed her boss out of the room._

_As Dempsey drew near to ITU two porters approached from the end of the corridor and grabbing an armpit each pushed him through the door into the storage room. Taken off guard Dempsey was protesting but not fighting as they lunged him face first against the wall. A rather besmirked Flackery Petros administered a carefully measured amount that had been drawn up into an oversized syringe for dramatic effect._

_As the two porters released Dempsey Petros waved the needle and syringe in front of Dempsey "Your friend tells me you need sleep Mr Dempsey and so I have arranged this for you. Look" he pointed to a trolley parked against the wall "I have even provided the bed for you"_

* * *

><p>Angela chinked a flute against Dempsey's "She's caused you a few sleepless nights in her time"<p>

Dempsey grinned and was just about to raise his glass to the bride when she reappeared round the not quite closed kitchen door

"And if you tell tales of me dad I'll tell that story about you being found in the hospital sluice room"

"Yeh where they gave me some sleeping thing - I should have sued them" Dempsey grinned happily

"And they would have had you arrested for assault"

"They wouldn't dare and anyway Spikings would have sorted it"

"He spent all his time sorting your misdemeanors dad"

"Na" Dempsey's eyes were crinkled with his smile reaching up to them "he just likes to tell a good story"

"Now what other story could I tell?" Dempsey postulated provocatively and Olivia was drawn back into the kitchen when she helped herself to some more of her fathers crab on toast and sat waiting expectantly; she loved her father as raconteur – he had a wonderful way of spinning a tale

"What about the one where you spooked your favourite class mate in your 1st morgue trip?" Dempsey proposed

"Remember Dad I get to tell one back"

"Not if there ain't one to tell"

"There always is dad"

"Like father like daughter" Beth placed another plate of her cooking on the table

"More like like daughter like father – who do you think taught me Beth?"

"Ooh what did you do Petal "Angie had always called her Petal, right from those first weeks when she and Freddy were allowed to bottle fed whilst James was sitting by Harry's bedside. Freddy had called her 'Doll' and James Tinkerbell; she had wondered if that had been a conscious link back to Harry. Princess had always been his preferred nickname for Harry but now Lib (somehow that had stuck when she'd been unable to pronounce her own name: Olivia was spoken as Olibia and in no time reduced to Lib) was launching into her story

"Well Annalese Trowbridge bragged that she had seen loads of dead bodies cos her dad was an undertaker"

"Your nemisis in your first year?" Angela checked

"Yeh her"

"I always told you to ignore her, be the better person"

"Well Angie I just made sure I was"

"You knew about this Jim?" Angie confirmed

"Uh huh; this is the one Lib planted a student in the fridge then persuaded Annalese to strip and be a body in a draw that would be pulled out by the tutor for a demo"

"Yeh we told her that if she got in the draw we'd pull her out and she could sit up and scare the rest of the class"

"Too complicated, I thought you didn't like the girl why make her the star?"

"All them draws go back into one big open fridge" Dempsey started to explain

"And after a good ten minutes when Annalese started to winge to herself then Chris Burke" Lib stopped to make sure Angie and Beth were following "remember we planted her in another draw before Annalese knew" the two women nodded with more certainty that they had

James jumped back in, he was supposed to be the story teller "So Annalese winges that it's cold and she's bored of waiting and the person whom she thinks is a dead body below her – pipes up 'hey you're right on there' Annalese knows she went in there alive and now this dead body is talking to her agreeing the queue to the after life was taking way too long." Dempsey surveyed his audience but this was joint deliverance and his daughter took the last line "Freaked Annalese out enough to shut her up for life"

James scrunched his face, bit his inner cheek in amusement and his eyes were alight with amusement as various thoughts flashed into his mind. He rolled his tongue around and pulled a few faces all the time smirking and grinning, plotting anticipating and amusing himself with imagining the reaction he'd get.

Olivia noted her fathers amused smile threw him a warning bolt "If you tell that I'll tell of you and what you did to that Peters making him go and collect a ring off a dead guy that you had forgotten to remove and return to the wife"

"Did I tell you that one?" Dempsey asked suddenly recalling a long lost episode

"No Gramps Spikings did"

"Did he now?" Dempsey had thought he'd always successfully kept such activities under wraps

Olivia enjoying her position of higher knowledge over her father continued "I think he thought it was quite funny actually but he said it was years before he could send Peters to the morgue again"

"There was obviously something more then" Angie prompted

"Well Peters was an upstart from Murder but never did the dead bodies, had a thing about them so dad told him to look for the tag number and that would be the body only it was Dave freezing half to death waiting for him to turn up"

Dempsey jumped in "So when Dave pulls back his arm to stop the ring being taken off his finger Peters screams the place down which wakes all the rest of the dead and they start moaning and wailing until Peters shits himself and we all piss ourselves laughing"

Beth groaned "life has never been dull since you two pitched up here"

"What can I say - like father like daughter" Dempsey grinned proudly

"Eh well any story dad tells against me I can match"

"Good grief we don't need a competition between you two" Beth joked "Now why don't you all get out of my kitchen and Lib You really should be getting that dress on.

**With grateful thanks to radio 2 confessions which is where I nicked basis of the morgue stories from**


	9. Transfers

It hadn't been preplanned or even spoken about but with 20 minutes before the 'off' the three of them stood quietly on the west side of the lake. On Freddy's grave lay a small daisy chain and a posy of white flowers rather similar to those on the wedding guest tables. James plucked a rose from the nearby bush. He'd not chosen one of the full apricot yellow blooms of the Sophia Renaissance he had planted 8 years ago when his mother had lost her battle to cancer but a small tight bud which he squeezed into his cortège. Although Lady Symington-Bown would no doubt disapprove his fellow companions did not.

"Old Freddy always let me cover him with my daisy chains" Olivia reminisced, "I couldn't make them the proper way but he used to help me sellotape the stalks together and we would make the biggest chains ever."

"You used to try to make him dance around like a flower fairy"

"1,2,3 he tried to teach me to waltz" Lib remembered "but I never got the hang of sophisticated dances"

"Ah, your mum taught me" Dempsey grinned "said I needed to learn some culture"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Freddy<strong> knew he was getting weaker, for the first four days he had felt robust and determined to be there for his daughter. He had held the tiny baby and wondered at the fragility of life however as he rocked and cooed the the bundle of life and wires he had suddenly felt so very tired. _

_For the next few days he had continued to stay in his London home and travelled daily to see his two precious girls but he was now constantly breathless and dizzy and he no longer felt safe holding the baby and the buzz of the machines surrounding Harry made his head spin. _

_When he had become confused and mixed stories of the 60s with those of yesterday Abbot had called the doctor in. By the time transport had been arranged to take him to Kent Lord Winfield had recovered most of his mental capacity and put it to great use objecting strongly to being carted off. Now he was sitting in his favourite chair in the drawing room he had to acknowlege to himself that he was so very tired. His waking hours should have been full of worry about Harriet and the tiny gorgeous doll but some days he was too exhausted to worry. _

_Freddy looked straight into Dempseys eyes "I know" he began "that people think I'm confused but I'm not, at least not at the moment" _

"_Yesterday" interjected Dempsey _

"_Yesterday I was" Freddy admitted "but it was only a TIA and my doctor reassures me that I should have no lasting effects." Freddy took a sip of his tea "Just take the odd aspirin and take it easy for a bit"_

_"You take care of yourself" Dempsey began "have you thought again about letting the staff at Winfield Hall look after you?" _

_"Now Winfield Hall is what I want to talk to you about" Freddy tapped Dempsey's knee_

_"You don't want to go worrying about anything"_

_"I'm not worried" Freddy protested "I just want to tell you what I've planned" _

_"Plenty of time" Dempsey jollied_

"_Ah No" Freddy corrected Dempsey "look at me I don't know how much time I have"_

"_Years"_

"_Well I very much hope so" Freddy conceded "You see I really need to make another 6 years"_

_Dempsey wasn't sure what to say so he just nodded_

"_As soon as you asked me last year" Freddy began _

_Dempsey looked blank _

"_I just knew it was right" Freddy continued "Old Davenport said I was mad; in fact he threatened to have me sectioned but I told him I'd report him for that incident in 1949"_

_Dempsey's eyes widened in blind bemusement, he had no idea what Lord Winfield was chuntering on about. _

"_Well Davenport asked old Shortie for advice and Shortie said if I was of sound mind he'd have to let me do it. Got all the papers signed the next day before old Shortie changed his mind"_

"_Well I'm glad you got it done" Dempsey reassured Freddy_

"_Are you? Oh good I was worried that you wouldnt like it or want to take it on." Freddy continued to tap his own knee "Shorty said no one in their right mind would agree but you see he was wrong my dear boy" Freddy patted Dempseys hand "he was wrong"_

"_Lord Winfield" Alarm bells were starting to ring in Dempseys mind "what exactly are you talking about?"_

"_Winfield Hall my boy, Winfield Hall of course"_

_"Of course" Dempsey echoed without any conviction. He coughed. "What exactly about Winfield Hall do you mean?"_

_"Haven't I just said?" Freddy seemed a tad dissapointed_

_"No I'm sure it will be fine" Dempsey reassured "but what exactly did Davenport object to?"_

_Freddy took Dempseys hand in his clasp and shook it several times "I left you Winfield Hall"_

_Dempsey didn't grasp his words_

_"You left Winfield Hall? What and came to your London home"_

_"No no" with seriousness he looked at Dempsey "I left Winfield Hall to you, in my will"_

_Speechless Dempsey let Freddy continue. "If I live for 7 years, and I've already done 1, then you won't have to pay death duties"_

_Dempsey shook his head, it was all wrong "you can't leave me the place, its Harry's"_

_"She doesn't want it; she's always said she doesn't want it" Freddy sat up straight "I would have given it her years ago if she'd of let me"_

_"It's her inheritance" James pointed out_

"_Well you are going to get married; and anyway she still gets it" _

_"Sir you said about a year ago"_

_"Yes, yes, as soon as you asked me for her hand"_

_"But there was no guarentee" James began "we hadn't even been out" _

_"But you had been in love for sometime" _

_"Probably" Dempsey conceded and then whistled a long low note "you can change your mind you know" Dempsey reminded him_

_"Why would I want to do that?"_

"_Well you know..."_

"_If" Freddy paused he didn't want to say the next awful thought "if Harry doesn't make you will need to move on. You can bring anyone there with you"_

_Dempsey touched Freddy _

_"You have been good for the place" Freddy continued "with the baseball and the school sports and those spring concerts" _

_"Just the things I like doin'"_

_"And it's brought some life back in the place" Freddy smiled "and I rather think that you gave Bill Wainright the idea for stocking those bison"_

_"Alternative meat" Dempsey grinned "Seems it's the next big thing"_

_Lord__Winfield__smiled__"I__made__a__wise__decision"__and__then__closed__his__eyes__signalling__the__end__of__the__conversation_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Sophia<strong> had a bi annual flight ticket across the pond for many years, but her random spontaneous flights when she arrived announced were always full of vivacious fun even when she'd become weak with cancer she had arrived and bundled her grand daughter off to some hip places that parents most definitely weren't allowed in but some how old ladies who liked rock were the coolest companion a teenage girl could have._

* * *

><p>Olivia followed her dads cue and broke a long stemmed bud that she would somehow poke into her tightly bound bridal posy. Such an intention goaded the three back towards the house and the last minute preparations and final dressing.<p>

* * *

><p><em>The first time the docs were going to wake Harry from her coma Dempsey hadn't slept with excitement and anticipation of having his Harry back. <em>

_The trauma of seeing her smile and then her eyes glaze over when she lent forward and the consequent panic of the medical team as a second bleed took place in front of their eyes had been enormous. _

_For the first time he began to truely believe that things might go wrong and had gone on a bender. It had been the American lady who had thrown a bowlful of cold water over him and yelled several rather blue abusive terms at her son when she had discovered him totally wasted surrounded by the evidence at home rather than at the scheduled review of his tiny daughter. The neonatal team had been concerned that Dempsey's absence was related to a down turn in her mothers' condition and whilst true in many ways they were not imagining the scene before Sophia now. _

_When the date for her return flight approached with great immediacy Sophia Dempsey was rather hoping that Jimmy would invite her to stay but Dempsey had lost track of time and Sophia didn't know whether to stay or go. Angela was a wise confident reassuring Sophia that she was really very much needed and Dempsey would be devastated if his hidden support was pulled away from under him. _

_The night before the second attempt to wake Harry Dempsey didn't sleep; fear filled every sinew as he tried not to imagine life without Harry. He thought about their tiny daughter and hope swelled through his chest only to be crushed at the awful contemplation of being an inadequate single parent. _

_The wires were no longer connecting his baby to life and the nurses had intimated that he could be taking his daughter home within the week. He'd just broken into a cold sweat. _

_His mother had been a godsend. She had been there every night with a cooked meal waiting for her Jimmy, pratiling on about life in the future as a family as he ate and although he never would have admitted it she noursished him mentally as well as physically over the kitchen table. _

_When Freddy had taken his turn for the worse she had shifted her attention across London until Lord Winfield had been pursuaded to return to the care of Winfield Hall of which Dempsey had never spoken to her about. He had missed her those three days although in true Dempsey style he hadn't said anything._

* * *

><p>There's still time dad" Olivia pointed out as they walked past the rows of chairs where people were now beginning to take their seats<p>

"It's a long time since Tinkerbell" Dempsey ruminated

"I don't see what your problem is?" Olivia continued

"I don't see why you think we should" her dad countered back

"Because you've always wanted to"

"It doesn't make us any different, over 20 years together says it all"

Olivia shrugged, she didnt know how to argue "it matters to me" she said quietly "that Nath and me promise those things to each other"

"And I'm glad you're doin' it"

Lib decided to have one last ditch attempt as they reached the house and took the steps two at a time "trust me I've been talking with Angie too."

"Sweet heart this is your big day and I'm so proud of you." Dempsey gently pulled his daughter to a stop and giving her a hug instructed her to 'go get dressed and be down in five"

"Ten dad" she protested "It's the brides prerogative to be late"

Angela walked past "You all set?" she asked casually

"Hey Ange what do you really think?"

"That I should have made an honest man of you years ago" she laughed lightheartedly

"But now?" James asked "At our age? Is it worth the bother?"

Angela stopped and turned back, she was suddenly alert to the weight of concern in James' tone "hey 'Mister father of the bride' you have a task for today" she kissed his cheek "you walk down that aisle and do me proud"


	10. Turbulence

They did the traditional thing of brides mum walking back down the aisle with grooms dad. It was as James watched Nathan's dad, Nigel, sweep the mother of the bride into his hold that he felt insanely jealous.

Events more than 20 years ago had robbed him of his time. But why did they still have a stranglehold over him? Why should the freak timings of one day dictate the rest of his life. Life is hard then you die. You know what? on this one he'd stopped taking the plane and the boat and despite all the millions of protestations he'd given his young trainees about not letting events change the way they act this one had dug in deep, the very personal nature had clawed its way into his fears and he'd never tried to dislodge it.

Now with his daughter walking ahead of him so blissfully content, holding hands with the love of her life, having promised each other so much James Dempsey suddenly, and even irrationally, wanted the same. James' gaze dropped back from the bride and groom to the two parents meandering just two foot in front of him. With mother of the bride hooked through Nigel's arm Dempseys gaze was fixated and he paid too little attention to the mother of the groom. Not that Caroline noticed, she smiled and waved as the procession moved forward. Dempsey was all over the place, he'd not expected to 'feel' anything today apart from a bit of fatherly pride so the sucker punch of past regret that surged from within and hit him squarely in the gut had taken him by complete surprise. God dammit he'd denied himself the opportunity to exit a wedding ceremony walking arm in arm with his woman and so Caroline Roberts lightly tripping over his toes was fast becoming the biggest irony of his life. The end of the walkway between the two banks of chairs was fast approaching.

With no reasoned thought but with bundles of passion James made his move. He launched forward and wrenched the couple in front of him apart. It was no more elegant than being yanked back towards where the registrar was gathering his papers and by the time those few seconds had elapsed and Dempsey was standing back before the table the guests had turned their gaze from Olivia and Nathan and back towards the errant parents.

"Can we do it too?"

Jeremy Wood looked startled and confused "I'm sorry"

"Right now. Can we get married?"

Jeremy looked from James to the perplexed woman standing next to him but Dempsey ignored all his concerns "I want tell all these people that I love her. That I always will" he threw his shoulders and hands in a kind of desperation" for f*#ks sake we have always been totally committed to each other, totally in love" he was pleading his case to the registrar "she changed me, she captivated me, hooked me, reeled me in and I've never wanted to be anywhere other than right here by her side"

Jeremy Wood sought some sort of sign from the still shell shocked woman standing next him and finally James turned his attention to her as well. "I love your determination, your giggle, your sexy..." the polite cough reminded him where he was "I'd wanna marry you whatever but boy babe you're still pretty hot looking" Now Dempsey addressed the wider audience "She has majestic loyalty, love and support and isn't she just such an incredible mum"

Her horror was diffusing with each of James' declarations and her secret desires were being massaged. She had never complained about not getting married; always agreed that they knew they were committed to each other but Olivia had been nipping away at her settledness with constant and consistent suggestions that it wasn't too late for her parents to tie the knot.

She'd tried, unsuccessfully, to persuade Olivia that the knot had been tied many a time, what with two children and a country estate, a more than fulltime job each and they were still together. Still arguing over stupid things and still doing 'date nights' (and had been long before the term had been invented or become fashionable)

Olivia had just taken every reason put forward as a reason 'of no need do anything special' as the very reason they should! So much so that only last week on a mother of the bride hen night the four women had had a deep and meaningful – the content and resolution of which was lost in far too many lychee cocktails.

* * *

><p><em>When Harry was finally woken Dempsey was unaware of the happenings. Aware of both the disaster of the first attempt and the unease that Dempseys presence still had on some of the ward Dr Flackery chose to wake his patient late evening. The neuro team happy with her ability to move any limb allowed her to wake more and were relieved to hear her talk. Harry remembered her own name and her designation. With a wry smile Dr Flackery asked for her to be sedated again for the rest of the night and for the bull to be contacted 1st thing and told she would be awake and ready for him by midday. <em>

_Petros Flackery met Dempsey as approached the ITU with a fresh bunch of flowers. Dempsey stopped in his tracks his optimistic bounce grinding into the floor like a stone. The doctor noted the panic flare across the bulls eyes and spoke to reassure _

_"it's going well" _

_"but?" _

_"it's not a but. I just want to make sure you don't expect too much."_

_Dempseys guarded look spoke volumes_

_She will be tired, she won't remember everything..._

_But me and..._

_She has been doing some tests and answering our questions and now we've let her sleep. Flackery smiled he felt confident that his patient would now do well "be gentle and she'll be fine and so will you" he stood back leaving the route to Harrys bed open to James. _

_James was just relieved that when Harry opened her eyes she murmured his name. Such a simple thing that actually brought a tear to his eye. He held her hand in a tight clasp as she looked around the room_

_It seemed she was only awake for such a short time before Harry mentioned being tired and dozed again. _

_The staff seemed pleased with her progress. Harry remembered things from earlier in the day, wasn't surprised to see James when she woke the third or fourth time and even managed a little soup. _

_The next morning James bounced into the ITU _

_"wow" he said "you're looking gorgeous princess"_

_One of the nurses washed my hair and I even had a bath" _

_Hey sounds like you're doing good babe, you'll soon get outta here. _

_The big false smile Harry had manufactured was gone and her whole face crumpled _

_Dempsey was across and cradling her face in his hands_

_Hey don't cry sweet heart it'll be ok but Harry just clung to James and he felt her tears _

_Harry I'm here, I'll always be here sweetheart _

_Yes but that's not how it was meant to be_

_James held her tight and stroked her hair "we will always be together wedding or no wedding"_

_That's not what I meant" Harry whispered and then became violently angry "they wont talk to me, they think I'm a fool, they throw niceties at my face- you're doing well Harry, good girl Harry, good grief I'm not 6 and they" she pointed towards the nursing staff "are not my mother"_

_Dempsey waited, confused he was unsure what to say. After more silence he prompted Harry "You wanna try and explain?"_

_"Our baby" she started to sob "I'm not pregnant anymore and you know that"_

_Dempsey pushed her back from himself. The full horror on Harry's behalf wouldn't hit James til later but right now he just grinned like a monkey and slipped his hand inside his jacket retrieving wallet and photo. That was one thing the GOSH team were good at - making sure parents had an up to date Polaroid of their baby. "Harry" he began "they had to deliver her but look" he wave the picture "our little Tinkerbell is doing just fine"_

_Harry took the picture into her hand and traced her finger lightly over the tiny bundle temporarily free from her incubator _

_Dempsey cradled Harry feeling progressively guilty that he hadn't talked about their daughter yesterday "let me tell you I think she has inherited everything from her mom 'cos she's one beauty" _

_He held his hand over Harrys as they both in effect held their daughter. With his other hand he stroked Harrys hair "she sleeps a lot, kinda like her mom at the moment but I'm telling you babe I can sit lookin' at her all mornin' and you all afternoon." Harry felt warm and secure in response to Dempseys big squeeze "I've kinda got a pattern going and the doc says she's doing fine" Harry turned the photo as if she was searching for more "Her name?" Harry asked "we never decided on names. Please tell me you didn't..."_

_Dempsey laughed "I didn't anything. She's got a nickname - Tinkerbell we can decide on a real name when you meet"_

_The shock had tired Harry and she lay back closing her eyes "Tell me about her. Were you there when she was born? God I don't even know how much my own baby weighed. Is she ok?"_

_Dempsey started to fill in all the gaps. Half way through, when he heard Harry's breathing lighten as she slept he stopped and left the room. He came back grinning._

_The specialist nurse and Sophia Dempsey hung back. They had dressed the baby in the outfit bought by Angela and wrapped in a huge shawl. It was now merely two hours since James had made his phone call and now he carried their daughter in and placed her in Harry's arms. _

_Baby Dempsey slept, totally unaware of being in her mother's arms _

_"Didn't I tell you she was just beautiful?"_

_"I feel like I've missed out, I don't know her and she doesn't know me. She doesn't know I'm holding her" _

_"Sure she does, she don't like it when the docs come round and hold her, see she senses her mom" James reassured her. _

_"Look at you, my two girls together - alive n kickin'"_

_Harry was looking down at her daughter, peeling back the shawl, noting the frilly dress but wondering at the tiny fingers now clasping her own little finger. The tiny mouth started to suck at fresh air, her tiny tongue poking between her lips and her tiny head turned towards the hand touching her cheek and she took the knuckle offered her. _

_"Does she have a bottle?" Harry asked finally looking back up to James_

_He nodded, swallowed but still remained speechless as he used his sleeve to stem the floods that had already swept over his cheeks down his neck and swamped the collar of his shirt_

_Sophia and the nursery nurse had got through a packet of Kleenex as they spied sideways through the window trying to keep out of view. _

_Harry took it all in "life is hard, then you die" she reiterated quite coolly and with measured self control_

_"Right now Harry life is a peach and I ain't ready to die"_


	11. Truth

**So these are the final two chapters, I hope you enjoy the nod towards what is most definitely my most read story. Thank you all so much for reading and re reading and reviewing, just this one to review now and the last one later this evening. Please keep me on author review, although I don't intend to write any more for a while one never says never and I'd hate to loose you all**

_Fry took in the drive curving round as the gravel crunched below. The car stopped "seems we're here" Mac observed as he pulled the handbrake on_

_"Big place" Fry commented_

_"You nervous?" asked Tony_

_"Why would I be?"_

_"This looks posh" Dave surmised_

_"So" Fry shrugged "We're all good at shooting and we've done the advanced driving course"_

_"Looks like we're about to find out" Mac nodded towards the approaching staff who insisted on carrying the four mens' bags to their rooms_

_"Bloody Hell!" Fry's mouth opened and didn't shut as the four made their way up the stairs to the west wing guest rooms_

_"Is that armour real?" asked Tony_

_"It's definitely old" commented Dave_

_"It dates back to the 15th century" Vincent Green the newly hired Valet informed them, wincing at every touch knowing how the ladies would have to polish all the marks off. 'No touching' would have to be written into the instructions he decided_

_He showed them into three rooms "The bathroom is just along on the right" he explained "And dinner will be served at 8.00"_

_"Eight?" Mac repeated once alone, he also volunteered to take the twin bedded room with Tony_

_"According to that program we have to meet and greet the horses at 6.00"_

_"Goodness knows why the horse riding bit isn't til Sunday"_

_"I think they need to match us up with the right size horse" Dave postulated "Have you ever ridden Fry?"_

_"Does a donkey on Blackpool beach count?"_

_"Ha. Why does Dempsey think we need a team building weekend"_

_"It's a holiday, don't winge"_

_"Not my sort of holiday"_

_"Mine neither, think we should have a weekend in Torremolinos"_

_"Dempsey says it's a new thing they're trying out"_

_"So he's had us all being winos and spending the night on a garbage dump, we've been tramps down the docks and homeless in the parks"_

_"Think he likes this new 'training' role"_

_Mac picked up the glossy brochure and flipped it open as he spoke "Well with Makepeace gone to Murder..."_

_"Maternity" Dave corrected_

_"Yeh but it's murder after that as Inspector"_

_"Won't be long til she's Commissioner"_

_"A woman Commissioner?"_

_"Don't let her hear you say that"_

_"She ain't likely to be round here is she?"_

_Tony picked out the A5 house plan "So why exactly are we here?"_

_"Cos big mouth Fry says to Dempsey he can do tramps 'n winos and even druggies now and it's a good job there's never any posh undercover needed"_

_"Well we've never had to do any" Tony turned he plan around trying to orientate himself_

_"Yeh but Dempsey and Makepeace did"_

_"Thought that was just the cover they chose"_

_"Think though - they even got to go to Barbados and they used 5 star hotels all the time"_

_"Yeh, I like your thinking - learn from the maestro I ain't gonna be a tramp ever again"_

_"Seems the stables are out back and across some yard"_

* * *

><p>The beleaguered registrar coughed uncertainly. "Um are you, um, err, I mean are you proposing to her?"<p>

"Oh No" Angela unsuccessfully reassured "He did that years ago darling"

Jeremy Wood turn his attention to the elegant mother of the bride "So are you saying yes now?" he ventured nervously

"Oh No" Angela butted in with great enthusiasm "She did that years ago darling"

Jeremy Wood glared at the interfering woman, momentarily stopping to wonder if her hat could be any larger, he then turned his attention back to the two earnest 50 something teenagers staring at him with puppy eyes. "Let me get this right" he winced as he tried to fathom things out "You've been engaged but never bothered getting married for how long?"

"Ah it's more complicated than that that, you see" began Dempsey

"We were getting married only on the way to the registry office there was a bank robbery"

"It wasn't a bank"

"It was Sid and Fingers, they do banks"

"Did - they checked out of Butlins and joined the hot house sauna a few years back"

The registrar coughed

"Sorry" the feisty female proffered the registrar before continuing her argument with Dempsey "It was Pridmore Bookmakers"

"Hot house sauna?" Dempsey questioned

"Well I hardly think they were Robin hoods of the day so I doubt the good lord let them in"

"You don't know, with all that stashed cash they might have bribed St Peter"

Jeremy Wood coughed again "And you both want to get married now?" he asked with some skepticism

The united "Yes" took him by surprise "um, er I think there is a special license..."

"Really?"

"Well why don't we do the vows and I can fill in the paperwork later" smiled a very nervous registrar

* * *

><p><em>Dave looked at his watch "come on guys we can unpack later"<em>

_"Yeh and dress for dinner?" Tony groaned "what world have we been dumped in?"_

_"time warp from 'Upstairs Downstairs'"_

_"My mother used to watch that!"_

_The slightly unsettled foursome were making their way downstairs; Dave stopped to lift a helmet off some armour which Tony managed to force over his head; the panic that ensued following the difficulty of removing the said item cracked Mac up and set Fry in to a worrying frenzy._

_Finally they were crossing the courtyard "I don't do horses" Tony grudgingly admitted_

_"A couple of years back Dempsey brought a horse right into the SI10 offices" Dave recollected_

_"He did what?"_

_"Could of cut the atmosphere with a knife. Think Harry called him a cowboy so he brings this dude who'd been working for some freedom thing all bound up along with a horse" he checked his audience "And Dempsey says he's going back Stateside then next day they're back working again"_

_"So it wasn't always red hot flirting?" asked Mac_

_"Tell you what - some days it was like walking into a freezer. Worst bit was how tetchy Makepeace got when Dempsey did that deep cover"_

_"I remember that" Fry claimed, just about when I started "She was alternately on a different planet or snipping at everyone over nothing"_

* * *

><p>Darren nudged Daniel "They're gonna do it"<p>

"I was dreading the speeches and being embarrassed but this just takes the biscuit"

"You gonna go down there"

"No way" Daniel was flicking through the cds as Darren faded Take That's 'Greatest Day' out and Jeremy Wood invited the bride and groom to stand under the centre of the arch where the young couple had stood such a short while ago. The registrar scanned the hand written notes on a scrap of paper and seriously wondered if he would have a job next week if this whole caboodle turned out not to be legal

* * *

><p><em>Fry kept looking around, he'd had to borrow a DJ again and even he realised the fit left a lot to be desired; he surveyed his surroundings "It must cost a fortune to hire somewhere like this out", the height of the dining room and size of the table both awed him.<em>

_Tony smiled "Yeh, guess it would"_

_Fry looked at Tony "bet we get good food"_

_"Silver spoon, 5 courses" Mac said happily looking forward to the indulgence but Fry was suddenly flustered by the thought_

_Dave who was turning into the next biggest tease, learning fast from Dempsey spoke up "It's none of that chatting up the cook for an extra portion"_

_Fry looked quizzically "Dora, down in the canteen" Dave winked knowingly at Fry, who reddened and said "that was just about rhubarb crumble" Dave knew that it was but still he teased "one touch and she'll be kissing you in the corridor"_

_"Don't talk to me about kissing in the corridor"_

_"What?" Dave and Tony spoke together, both aware that Fry had seen something he had never spoken about._

_"I couldn't kiss someone like that, not if I wasn't married"_

_"Who did?"_

_"Dempsey and Makepeace"_

_The soup was brought in_

_"Like what"_

_"They were really going acting passionate, and they were still in the corridor"_

_"Fry, stop and start from the beginning"_

_"I was waiting in the corridor for them; Spikings sent me to Ireland and told me to keep tabs on Dempsey"_

_"Yeh that was because of the Summons about the Coltrane case"_

_"Stop interrupting, what next Fry?"_

_"Well Makepeace is unbuttoning Dempsey's shirt, his hands are all over her and, well I've not had that many girlfriends, I didn't know that much about kissing"_

_Dave couldn't believe his ears; he looked at Tony "Keep going Fry"_

_"I stood up, and spoke to them and Dempsey said 'always keep up the role until you're out of sight'. They went into their room and shut the door._

_It was as the soup bowls were cleared away that Tony had a thought "What did they say in the morning?"_

_"Who?"_

_"Dempsey and Makepeace"_

_"They told me there was a test to see if I was observant enough for undercover work"_

_"Oh Yeh?" Dave was sceptical but Fry didn't notice_

_"Yes, I remembered the time and the corridor bit. I think I got all those questions right but…" he looked worried "please don't tell Spikings, since then I've got better…"_

_All three looked bemused but desperate for the story they promised faithfully and specifically not to tell Spikings_

_"I failed the bit after the corridor"_

_"What bit after the corridor?" Dave felt that getting testimony from a prisoner was easier than this._

_"Well after they shut the door I remembered the message from Spikings, so I carried on knocking at the door for ages until Dempsey opened it. "I remember that there was no sofa, because of all that shouting with Spikings in his office about the honeymoon suite and a sofa, but there was only a bed with Makepeace in and clothes all over the floor and when I saw it all I failed to notice anything important."_

_"Seems to me your saw all the important stuff"'_

_A Caesar Salad appeared in front of each and without really paying attention to the menu the four ate as they pumped Fry for more_

_"No next morning Dempsey was asking me where was the gun, what time was on the clock and loads of other things; I couldn't picture anything apart from Sergeant Makepeace's bra and knickers on the floor"_

_Tony and Dave were speechless. Mac was cracking up, all this time and they had their proof_

_"Dempsey said they wouldn't tell Spikings how I had frozen, so I've kept quiet till this day"_

_Dave couldn't believe what they had just heard, all the times they had speculated, debated, argued and Fry had been sitting on this! His innocence amazed them. "Do you think they were really doing it?"_

_"Oh no, they kept the undercover up all the time"_

_"Keep up the damn role" Dave did his best American accent and the other three fell about_

_"Life is hard, then you die"_

_"Screw the paperwork"_

_"I'm telling you the nose knows"_

* * *

><p>"You think we should find something to play?" asked Darren generously<p>

"Yeh Abba Mama Mia" Daniel sulked

"No way - you can't do that"

"Why not" Daniel shook his head at the proceedings upfront "what the f#'* do they think they are doing"

"Getting spliced"

"At their age!"

"Come on your sister has been on about it forever"

"She's a girl"

"Well" Darren flicked the cd cases "what about that guy he was going on about earlier"

"Shouldn't think we have anything my rents like"

"So what was his name?" Darren persisted

"Neil Young" Daniel grouched "only he's old"

Olivia waved at her brother, Dan waved back and Lib whispered something in her new husbands' ear which resulted in Nathan run towards them.

* * *

><p><em>The Hake flummoxed both Fry and Tony and the conversation swapped to recommended Fish and Chip shops, pukka pies and real life.<em>

_When Tony, Dave and Fry assumed the sorbet was the end of the meal Mac laughed "Seems Dempsey's ideas about undercover training weren't too far out"_

_"Well I think I'm going to stick to the cover I know" Dave announced "I can't keep up a cover I know nothing about"_

_"Might have to confess we're cops" admitted Tony_

_"But Dempsey always kept the role" Fry parroted "Always, even when there was no one there"_

_Dave nudged Tony, "What do you mean?" he prompted_

_"Well like when they were on that beach"_

_"What beach?" this really was like the interview cell!_

_"Along the west coast, I got the patrol car to drop me off because I saw their 911 parked on the side of the road"_

_"Are we still in Ireland?"_

_"Yes"_

_The venison main course appeared and the sight of real meat relaxed them all_

_"They had a 911?"_

_"Yeh, two seater, convertible"_

_"For their hire car?"_

_"Sexy car" whispered Mac to Tony_

_"Yeh" said Fry "That's just what Dempsey called it, why is it sexy?"_

_"It's a hot car" Tony confirmed_

_Fry shrugged his shoulders; he still didn't get this car stuff._

_"The beach" Dave prompted him_

_"It's a blazing hot day and we're on our way back from a stake out, Dempsey and Makepeace left first, then when we'd finished the interviews the rest of left in the patrol car. Spikings told me to keep close to Dempsey so when I spot the car parked in a lay-by I got the boys to drop me off."_

_Tony and Dave were leaning forward, they anticipated another great goof of Fry's, but had no idea what it could be. Fry just carried on with his innocent story I spotted them down on the beach, on a big rock so I walked across to them._

_"What were they doing on this rock?" Dave thought that if he didn't ask Fry would miss out important information._

_"Just lying there"_

_"Just lying"_

_"Sunbathing?"_

_"Drying off I think"_

_"What you mean you think"_

_"I think they'd been swimming"_

_Dave sat up "skinny dipping" Fry looked confused again "nude swimming in the sea!" he explained._

_"Oh No" Tony and Dave were visibly disappointed, "Dempsey was wearing his boxers and Makepeace had a vest on"_

_"Nothing else?"_

_"I don't think so. Why?"_

_"Why don't you think she had anything else on?" Tony led the questioning patiently_

_"Because when Dempsey stood up he knocked their clothes and Makepeace had to catch her bra and…" he reddened "when she sat up the wet vest stuck close all over her"_

_Tony and Dave were breathless "you saw her…"_

_"Well Dempsey yelled at me like he always does and I went up and waited by the car"_

_"The two seater?"_

_"I started to walk, and then Dempsey came back for me"_

_"I bet he was mad"_

_"Bloody hell if I had a beautiful woman on an empty beach…" Dave started to picture the scene_

_"In my wet vest…" Mac continued_

_"Do you think it was Dempsey's vest then?" asked Fry_

_"My God Fry, do you think Harry takes spare clothing out with her?"_

_"He wasn't just lying there" Mac explained_

_"No he'd be watching her…" Dave continued_

_"Like he does in the office" Tony expanded_

_"He does?" Fry still didn't seem to spot anything_


	12. Triumph

**sorry the site wasn't working properly last night**

The guests made their way back towards the front, Olivia with her arm looped through the older gentleman's "I hope for your mothers sake that this whole thing is legal"

"Oh Grampy Gorden who cares whether it turns out legal or not "Olivia sing-songed happily

"Well your mother is Commissioner of Police my dear" Spiking tapped her arm with pride still burning from his 'girl' making it all the way to the top

"But they should have done this years ago" Olivia protested

Spikings thought of the times the two of them had stood before him in his office. The first flash back was to when the pair had stood in front of him the day after Makepeace had been signed back, fit to work barely more than a week after the Liverpool bomb scare. He had looked from one to the other now daring to hold hands in his office "You don't have to..." he'd addressed Harry who had jumped in and assured him "this was all she wanted, she had already told him that she reminded Spikings and she wasn't going to change her mind."

He'd continued "It won't be..."

"Easy" she had jumped in again "This is me and Dempsey we're talking about Sir; we know each other, we respect each other"

Spikings had grumped an acknowledging huff and turned his attentions to Dempsey "You'd better damn well look after her" he'd threatened

Dempsey's sole reply had been to ask him what the hell he thought he'd been doing ever since his plane had landed three years ago.

"This is different" Spikings had tried to explain "getting married, being together, being a family..."

"I'm ready for it Sir" Harry had told him

"Me too" Dempsey had copied and feeling rather like the vicar at a wedding Spikings had looked from one to the other and then clapping an arm around each with sartorial pride he'd told them "This was for life and they'd bertter make damn sure of it" Yes he thought, never conventional, never actually done the official I do bit but in their own way...

The second flash back interrupted the first back to when he had insisted they work together on the Caviar case, those now immortal words he'd said with some sarcasm and very little real hope "Who knows - you might even make a team"

* * *

><p><em>A breakfast that still included kippers blew the four away but they tucked into it with great relish, laughing and deciding that posh undercover was most definitely the way to go. It was as they were about to follow Jenkins out that the random, eccentric old man with walking stick bumped into them.<em>

_"Oh, ah, hello, aah you must be, Musn't say, top secret I know, Police training- yes we can keep a secret, don't worry about me I'm just a rambling old man"_

_"Lord Winfield" their guide took charge "We're just about to go up to Felborough Wood with the quads"_

_"Aah yes, noisy things rather like motor bikes but with four wheels for idiots" Lord Winfield chuntered "not that you're idiots of course, I wouldn't say that, no not at all..."_

_The men followed their guide and started to shuffle forward "Yes, have nice day" Lord Winfield continued_

_"We're shooting this afternoon, old Ben's lads are beating for us" Jenkins addressed his senior "Would you like to join us for lunch, I can get Tomlinson to carry for you"_

_Lord Winfield beamed "yes, yes, that would be rather splendid and I can spend some time with these wonderful chaps"_

_Tony nudged Dave "I'd love to see Dempsey here"_

_Dave laughed "A pizza takeaway and bottle of beer"_

_"How the heck did Dempsey do posh undercover?"_

_"He had Harry"_

_They agreed with a conspiratorial silence_

_"So this team building is a new thing" Mac asked Jenkins_

_"Yes Sir it is"_

_"Going well?"_

_"Yes Sir, bookings seem to be coming in; this is the first we've done for the police though. Mr Dempsey wanted things done a bit differently for you"_

_"Like how?" now Tony was interested_

_"Well as there are only four of you we've put you in the west wing where we usually put our better known guests. Last week Princess Michael and the Duchess of Kent were in those rooms"_

_"Holy shit" muttered Tony_

_"The old guy?" asked Mac "Lord?"_

_"Lord Winfield" Jenkins confirmed "It's his family home" Something niggled in Macs head but now was time to ride._

_Rather pleased with their proficiency the officers were bullish when it came to the afternoons shoot and even the more sensitive Mac ended up admitting he was surprised at how well the old man did and conversely how badly the police marksmen did. "Different sort of thing entirely" the old man had reassured them "but don't going telling that to my daughter now"_

_All four shrugged promising 'never to breathe a word' and trying to imagine what the daughter of an eccentric old Lord would look like._

* * *

><p>Jeremy Wood first led the groom "I do solemnly declare  that I know not / of any lawful reason / why I, James Henry Dempsey / may not be joined in marriage / to Harriett Charlotte Alexandra Makepeace" before taking the bride through the same

"I do solemnly declare / that I know not / of any lawful reason / why I, Harriett Charlotte Alexandra Makepeace / may not be joined in marriage / to James Henry Dempsey"

"Now this is the chance for you to say your own words" Wood turned to Dempsey "You first"

Dempsey took a deep breath, giving himself a little time and then launched forth

"Harry you are my best friend, my love & my inspiration and today I want to give myself to you in marriage." he took her hand "We have loved each other when times were good and when times were hard and I promise I will love you forever." He stroked her hand "No matter how difficult things seem, I will never give up on us." He squeezed her hand "I want to thank you for all the years we've been together and all the fun and laughter we've had. I wanna thank you for your loyalty, your love and your support" he paused to think before finally adding "I will always be here for you" there was a long beat "my princess"

Daniel put two fingers to his mouth but his older sister anticipated the puking sign and elbowed him hard.

* * *

><p><em>That evening they sat back, rather stuffed and now drinking port and trying some rather different cheeses<em>

_"Fry, a test of your observation…" Dave looked at him, "Like the one Dempsey gave you, this is testing your long term memory: what exactly was Dempsey doing on that Irish beach?"_

_"Well he was sitting up more and his hand was like drawing lines down Makepeace's leg"_

_"Drawing?"_

_"Just tracing his hand from her knee to her bottom, it wasn't like doing anything"_

_"And?"_

_"And nothing" I think he tried to help the wet vest dry off he put his hand under it to lift off her skin, let the air ccirculate"_

_Dave looked at Watson, "No wonder Dempsey was mad"_

_Fry failed to understand. "Yeh well I really thought that Dempsey would never speak to me again after the time I had to find him watching the stars with Makepeace"_

_Dave, Mac and Tony looked at each other 'there was more!' flashed across their faces_

_"Well, he's recommending you for sergeant so I guess your forgiven Fry" Dave tried to sound encouraging_

_"Personally I don't care if he does or doesn't talk to you Fry" Tony spoke up "Just tell us what happened or you might not live to find out!"_

_"Well I think he got fed up with me following him so he told me where he would be, it was a good job because Spikings rang me and Dempsey had to get the plane out to New York."_

_"You miss out all the interesting stuff Fry, where did they go?" Mac spoke up_

_"Oh, this posh, very posh actually, restaurant then up to some landmark"_

_"What land mark? Think of it as another observation test Fry" Dave spurred him on as well._

_"There was a hill, it was dark and at first I couldn't see them because they were lying down on a rug"_

_"Kissing?"_

_"No! looking up at the stars"_

_"Miles apart from each other"_

_"No" he thought back, this all seemed a bit unfair; he didn't see what the fascination was. "Harry had her head on his chest, his hands were… well one hand was holding some of her hair I guess"_

_"There were some champagne glasses and a bottle" it was coming back now_

_"Expensive dinner, romantic venue, what did you do Fry?"_

_"I just called out Dempsey, Makepeace"_

_"I thought they were undercover as Mr and Mrs"_

_Fry reddened again "That's what Harry shouted at me"_

_"And Dempsey?"_

_"Like I said I think Harry was crying and he pulled me into the car, pushed me out at the hotel, told me not to go near Harry and his anger was so fierce I thought he would never speak to me again"_

_"Tell me Fry, what did you think when you went up to find them?"_

_"That you keep up the role, all the time"_

* * *

><p>The bride smiled and at the cue from Jeremy Wood, looking straight at Dempsey she began "You have the biggest nerve of anyone I have ever lived with, you are impossible, impractical, cocksure and totally blind. You have the maddest ideas and expect me to agree. You are incorrigible, incurable, irredeemable and totally hopeless" She dropped his hand and rested her arms loosely on each of his shoulders "And yet James Dempsey I learnt to love you many years ago and I have never stopped and I know I never will" She kissed his cheek "You are the funniest and most amazing man, life with you around has been a ball and we will continue that together for rest of our lives" she paused thinking how to finish "partner"<p>

Whilst a few of the guests not knowing Olivia's parents had had heart in mouth at the beginning of the brides speech James had stood grinning, lapping up the torrent of abuse with pride. The poor registrar thought he was just about to have a heart attack but brought himself back to life with a cough that started him breathing again.

"Ok" he claimed back control "Just the last little bit for you both to say"

He led again making sure the couple faced each other, hands in a double hold

"I call upon these persons here present"

"I call upon these persons here present"

"To witness that I James Henry Dempsey"

"To witness that I James Henry Dempsey"

"Do take you Harriett Charlotte Alexandra Makepeace"

"Do take you Harriett Charlotte Alexandra Makepeace"

"To be my lawful wedded husband"

"To be my lawful wedded husband"

"I call upon these persons here present"

"I call upon these persons here present"

"To witness that I Harriett Charlotte Alexandra Makepeace"

"To witness that I Harriett Charlotte Alexandra Makepeace"

"Do take you James Henry Dempsey"

"Do take you James Henry Dempsey"

"To be my lawful wedded husband"

"To be my lawful wedded husband"

* * *

><p><em>The door swung open "So wadda you think" asked Lieutenant James Dempsey "Ain't this the place to do some training? I'm thinking them new kids can do some night tracking, we can set up some scenarios and see what they make of it, invite a few of the city types down - they all ways have something unsavory about them" As he spoke Dempsey pulled up a chair accepted a scotch on the rocks and lit a cigar. He pushed back and crossed his left ankle up on his knee and drew on the Cuban tobacco.<em>

_"Have you seen those suits of armour?" Dave asked Dempsey_

_"Yeh, pretty cool eh? and the swords... have you had a go with swords?" Dempsey enthused, then registering their reticence he swung out of his seat and out into the hall way calling out "Hey tell Jennke to fetch some swords in, the boys wanna play._

_Fry coughed nervously sensing that Dempsey was out of order whilst Dave and Tony quickly overcame their uncertainty and took a sword each from Jenkins_

_"Wow heavy" Tony nearly dropped his with the unexpected weight._

_"I fought off this slime ball called Simms first time I came here" Dempsey said_

_Dave and Tony clouted the swords whilst Fry panicked they would all be thrown out._

_"Thought you wanted time with Harry and Olivia" Mac turned to a serious discussion with his mate_

_"And wouldn't this just suit the bill" Dempsey enthused_

_"But it must cost a fortune to rent out" Fry whimpered as the swords clashed again_

_"Sure does" Dempsey grinned "And there's a city full of companies willing to shell out"_

_"I thought Spikings is always going on about budget" Dave lay his sword down_

_"I'll cut him a deal" Dempsey promised but that just left Fry bemused. _

_On the other hand the penny was dropping for Mac; bits and pieces suddenly beginning to filter through and he remembered where he'd heard the name Winfield before "Bloody Nora" he gasped "and the old boy..."_

_As if on cue Freddy opened the door "ah there you are"_

_"Freddy" Dempsey stood "Harry's just putting Olivia to bed; come and meet the new top boys from SI10"_

_"So what do you think of this baseball?" Freddy asked Fry_

_"Um it's American isn't it Sir?"_

_"Most definitely but the girls and boys round here seem to be rather enjoying it" Freddy launched into one of his stumbling soliloquies "Ever since James set up the, um, ooh, um what's the word. um field, ah no pitch; I love having the children around - so much more life in the place and now that Olivia is here; oh isn't she such a doll?" Fry sat dumbstruck not knowing what to say praying that the opening door would be his salvation._

_Mac saw the blond bob and the petite figure "Nice gaff you have here Harry"_

_Harry looked at the jaws hitting the floor and laughed "Technically" she corrected Mac "It will be Dempsey's but yes thank you: it is a great gaff, but we're keeping Camberwell Grove for day to day work" she touched her nose "now has Freddy told you the ghost story..."_

* * *

><p>The whoop went up and as it stilled suddenly all eyes were on Darren who was frantically staring at the dvd case in his hand trying desperately to find any clue about what would make a suitable track.<p>

He scanned 'You and me'? 'One of these days'? What would 'Harvest Moon' be? His indecision was now apparent and he just hit track 7 and prayed that the song about a woman would be a love one and not a disaster

For the second time a bride and groom walked hand in hand down the aisle; he was grinning with self satisfaction, she was giggling stupidly. When they reached the end James swung Harry around into his arms and they rotated around as the words sung out

_No one else can fill me like you do__  
><em>_No one else can kill me like you do__  
><em>_And I love you.__  
><em>_You are such a woman to me._

There was a brief kiss and then Dempsey looked up and around at the milling crowd; he caught sight of Dan "hey son" he whispered "I need you to play that title track at smoochin' time tonight" Dan look horrified but Angela had overheard "Don't worry darling I'm on your case - harvest moon" she reassured Dempsey

"Now that's enough of hijacking a wedding" Dempsey announced to one and all "It's Lib's and Nat's big day – let's get the party started"

**yes it ties into my youtube video www. youtube. com/watch ?v=-hDL_jZIN-s remove all spaces**

**and even if you have never revied please can you leave me your name and country where you live, you dont have to be logged in or have profile to do that**


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